


Different Flowers, Same Garden

by Harrish6



Series: Regina Bushroot [2]
Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon), Disney Duck Universe, Disney Ducks (Comics), DuckTales, DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Siblings, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brother-Sister Relationships, Bullying, Cartoon Crossover - Freeform, Cartoon Physics, Crimes & Criminals, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Crushes, Custody Battle, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Family is everything, Harassment, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Insanity, Legal Drama, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mutation, Not Normal Siblings, Other, Over Protective Regina, Pansexual Character, Protective Siblings, Puppy Love, Reborn - Freeform, Regina Acts Like The Older Sibling, Reginald Acts Like The Younger Sibling Most Of The Time, Reginald Needs A Hug, Reginald Needs More Love, Reincarnation, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships, but they make it work, regina needs a hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-03-02 04:36:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 49,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13310685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harrish6/pseuds/Harrish6
Summary: Instead of taking Reginald Bushroot's place, Regina Bushroot was born to be his little sister. Lily and Cypress Bushroot had their son young, but they never wanted a son. No, they wanted a sweet little girl, and years later, they tried for one even if there was only a slight chance of having another child. It was a shock to be sure, to be born once more. To be the younger sister of the misunderstood scientist that one day mutated himself because he felt so unloved. But Regina found her loving Reginald as a brother. She loved her brother, didn't see her parents as her parents, and in fact even though she was younger, she felt and acted like a older sister to Reginald. It said a lot about how unhealthy her family really was in the end. After Reginald was mutated, it was so easy for her to chose him over everyone else. Regina did what she had to do after she heard her parents talking about Reginald after he was mutated. She made a call to the only person she could trust at the time, gathered up enough to fill a backpack, and ran away in the night.Regina had a plan, she was going to save her brother. No matter what.Damn the plot.This was her show now.





	1. What Does Family Mean?

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any cartoons, or characters, they belong to their respectful owners. I only own my OCs and this story.
> 
> I had this idea ever since I have watched the new Ducktales, and I am going for it. This is going to be a serious take though, with some humor thrown in of course.
> 
> Regina is from 'Where My Roots Lead' (WMRL), her being reborn to take the place of Reginald Bushroot, the duck who mutated himself to prove himself. Now, in this story, she is born years after Reginald, becoming his little sister. Of course, this changes a whole lot but keeps quite the bit the same.
> 
> The Bushroot's do not have a great family relationship if you can't tell from the summary. There is no way Reginald had a nice happy family with how quickly he mutated himself and deluded himself into thinking that someone else was in love with him, just by being nice to him and using his given name. There is no way in hell, he had a good childhood - but who does in superhero movies, shows, and cartoons? Might be glassed over for the kids, but it's not hard to tell.
> 
> Regina is mentally older, and she doesn't bother hiding this fact. She sees no point in it, what's the point in pretending to be dumber then she currently is? But she is going through school normally instead of testing out of it. 
> 
> In no way does she like her parents, seeing them as just people she has to live with for the moment. She does love her brother though, to her shock, and she does love her Grandfather, Abaddon, as well. Because of how mature she acts, and with how Reginald is - Depression, mentally unstable, Low confidence at best, sensitive, ect. - she takes the older sibling roll. While Reginald might be the older brother, it is only by name alone. Regina takes care of Reginald like a older sibling would, maybe even coming off as a parent, and while the siblings see nothing wrong with their relationship, others do.
> 
> Lily and Cypress Bushroot are my OCs, the whole Bushroot family is my OCs besides Reginald, as they never show Reginald's parents or family at all, and they are older then in WMRL as they had Reginald over twenty or thirty years ago, it's hard to say as I do not know Reginald's true age. But they did have him young in this story, so they are in their forties. Hard to have kids in that age rang, as there are a ton of complications that can happen, but it is possible.
> 
> There are going to be changes to Darkwing Duck and Ducktales to make this all fit. Also, Regina doesn't know about the Reboot version of the Ducktales, only the old one. So she is going in blind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this idea ever since I have watched the new Ducktales, and I am going for it. This is going to be a serious take though, with some humor thrown in of course.
> 
> Regina is from 'Where My Roots Lead' (WMRL), her being reborn to take the place of Reginald Bushroot, the duck who mutated himself to prove himself. Now, in this story, she is born years after Reginald, becoming his little sister. Of course, this changes a whole lot but keeps quite the bit the same.
> 
> The Bushroot's do not have a great family relationship if you can't tell from the summary. There is no way Reginald had a nice happy family with how quickly he mutated himself and deluded himself into thinking that someone else was in love with him, just by being nice to him and using his given name. There is no way in hell, he had a good childhood - but who does in superhero movies, shows, and cartoons? Might be glassed over for the kids, but it's not hard to tell.
> 
> Regina is mentally older, and she doesn't bother hiding this fact. She sees no point in it, what's the point in pretending to be dumber then she currently is? But she is going through school normally instead of testing out of it. 
> 
> In no way does she like her parents, seeing them as just people she has to live with for the moment. She does love her brother though, to her shock, and she does love her Grandfather, Abaddon, as well. Because of how mature she acts, and with how Reginald is - Depression, mentally unstable, Low confidence at best, sensitive, ect. - she takes the older sibling roll. While Reginald might be the older brother, it is only by name alone. Regina takes care of Reginald like a older sibling would, maybe even coming off as a parent, and while the siblings see nothing wrong with their relationship, others do.
> 
> Lily and Cypress Bushroot are my OCs, the whole Bushroot family is my OCs besides Reginald, as they never show Reginald's parents or family at all, and they are older then in WMRL as they had Reginald over twenty or thirty years ago, it's hard to say as I do not know Reginald's true age. But they did have him young in this story, so they are in their forties. Hard to have kids in that age rang, as there are a ton of complications that can happen, but it is possible.
> 
> There are going to be changes to Darkwing Duck and Ducktales to make this all fit. Also, Regina doesn't know about the Reboot version of the Ducktales, only the old one. So she is going in blind.

_-What does family mean?-_

Regina could remember having another family, one very different from the one she currently had. But the basics were the same. A Mother, a Father, and a older Brother. She even had two sets of grandparents as well.

It was almost funny how different this like was compared to her last life.

First, she was reborn into a cartoon. How did she know this? Well, maybe being a cartoon duck was the first clue. The last clue? Hearing her parents talk about 'Scrooge McDuck'. If that wasn't a slap in the face, nothing was.

Second, Regina was related to someone who had a place in the plot of a cartoon called 'Darkwing Duck'.

Third, her family was in no way a healthy family unlike her last one.

_-What makes someone family?-_

Mother and Father, or Lily and Cypress as she mentally calls them, are not good parents. They're not the worst, but in no way should they have became parents. Regina in no way can see them as parents, her last set hold that place in both lives as far as she is concerned.

Lily was a white duck, brown hair that was graying done up in a ponytail, dark blue eyes and was always dressed like she was going to go to a office when she instead worked as a botanist.

Cypress was a tall white duck with short brown hair with gray strips and watery blue eyes. Unless he was going to work, then he wore comfy clothing unlike his wife.

Lily and Cypress were in their forties, late to be having children, but they took the risk to have another. They told her they wanted a little girl, only a little girl. So, they were willing to try one more time. When they had her, they were so excited.

It made Regina wonder what would have happened if she had been a he. Nothing good came to mind when she thought about it. Not that anything good comes to mind now.

Being born a female duck in a cartoon was not what she was expecting, but it's what she got. Being female also didn't help her with her parents.

Lily wanted the perfect little girl to mold, to leave her mark on the world.

Cypress wanted a little girl, a sweet, innocent little girl to protect and shape.

What they got was a little girl who has lived once before, doesn't remember dying - thank everything above for that - and has the mental capabilities of a adult. Not that they know this, as Regina isn't stupid to say all this, but it's what they got.

They didn't want a baby girl, they wanted a piece of clay. Something to shape and mold to their image. It would hurt to know this, but for someone to hurt you, you have to love and care for them. She refuses to be a piece of clay.

Regina refuses to be molded, but her parents have yet to see this fact.

_-Is it blood? DNA?-_

Regina's older brother is Reginald Bushroot.

Reginald Bushroot.

The duck who loved so hard, clung so hard to one moment of being nice, that he mutated himself to prove himself. That alone spoke of a unhealthy childhood if not a abusive one. When she had watched the show the first time, Regina could remember wondering about Reginald's family. What they were like, where they apart of the reason that made Reginald fall so hard into insanity.

She never expected front row seats to the answers she had wanted once upon a time.

Reginald came over for the holidays, birthdays, and a few random days. Honestly, if Regina didn't press for him to come home to visit her a few times a month, he wouldn't come to the house at all. Not that Regina blames him at all.

Lily ignored Reginald's existence. It was like she didn't have a son, only a daughter. Only one child, not two. When talking to him, it was talking to a stranger, not her son. Watching him wilt, sometimes even cry, from how Lily treats him made Regina want to scream. The most Regina could do was take Reginald's attention away from Lily, make sure they are not alone together or even talk at times.

Cypress on the other hand, looked and treated Reginald with disappointment, like Reginald was the one to blame. Scapegoat to every wrong was how Cypress treated Reginald, if something was wrong, it was Reginald's fault. Cypress never physically hurt Reginald - from what Regina can see that is - but emotional hurt can be worse. 

The body can break, and it can heal. The mind breaks, and it's never the same.

Regina can't understand it. Reginald was so kind, a hard worker, and sensitive. Never has he gotten mad, not once has he not smiled at her. Love was in his eyes, fondness and love looked back at her every time she looked him in the eyes. Reginald saw her as family, treated her gently and hugged her every time he saw her. Talked to her, gave her his old books, listened to her and tried to do good.

He was a worrywart, always fretting, and had anxiety. Courage was emotionally beaten out of him, if not physically - bullies - and his self-esteem was so low it wasn't even there.

But even through all that, he became a Doctor. Not a medical one, but in botany, following after Lily's footsteps. He made many discoveries in his field, making cures and finding out never before seen facts about plants. Quite a few of his theories and papers had won awards as well. Dr. Reginald Bushroot was a name most scientist knew in his field.

All that didn't matter though to Lily and Cypress, all because he was a boy.

It mattered to Regina though.

In her mind, she only has two family members, and Lily and Cypress were not apart of it.

_-No. Blood is the same no matter the body it is in. And you can share DNA, yet still not call someone family.-_

Grandparents, the ones Regina can remember, were loving and doting.

That is not the case with this family, or, not fully.

Lily's parents painted a grim picture.

Lily's Mother was a stern looking duck, her white feathers contrasted against her long grey hair done up in a tight bun and steely, cold blue eyes seemed to glare at her. She always wore a long grey skirt and white blouse with a pair of slip on shoes every time Regina saw her. Her name is Rue Desdemona Webtimer. Her name was not a nice one, it made Regina wonder what her parents were thinking. Rue, the plant, holds the meanings of regret, sorrow, and repentance. And Desdemona is the name of a Shakespearean villain, and the name means 'of the devil', 'i'll-fated one', and 'misery'. If cartoons have taught her anything, it is that names usually are puns or hold more meaning then they appear. Not once has Regina seen this older women smile, not even to her own daughter. In fact, she just seemed to glare at everyone and anything. Never mind that her voice came out in harsh tones.

Rue's husband on the other hand, reminded her of Reginald. He was on the shorter side, coming up to his wife's shoulders, and was also a white duck. His hair was gone, and he wore big glasses over top of his dull brown eyes. His name is Jezebel Akuji Webtimer. Never mind that Jezebel used to be a insult to women, but it held the meaning of 'an impure follower of idols'. And Akuji in African means 'dead and awake'. Jezebel was twitchy and cowardly from what Regina could tell, always listening yet cowering away from his wife. It made her wonder why he even married her or if there was some low-key abuse going on now before Lily left that turned for the worst once she left.

Regina never wants Reginald to turn into Jezebel. Stuck in what seems like a loveless marriage and abused in some form or fashion. Luckily for her, she rarely saw this set of grandparents for they live too far off to visit unless it was a major holiday.

Cypress's parents on the other hand...

Cypress's Mother was Narcissa - that can mean the narcissa flower, the daffodil. That or it means narcissistic, meaning obsessed with oneself. And going by how she acted, Regina is going with the latter. - Portia - which means pig, Regina laughed at that one - Bushroot. Regina actually never met the duck, only seen pictures of her, as Narcissa had died shortly after Regina had been born. She was always seen with dyed blond hair and snooty look on her face. Reginald had once showed her a family picture with her in it, she had been sneering down her beak at him. Glad to have never met her, Regina went on her way with no regrets in that department.

Narcissa's husband on the other hand, made Regina shudder the first time she met him. He was a tall imposing figure, standing over everybody with a straight back. Abaddon - the meaning is 'Angel of Death' and 'Destroyer' of all things. Regina really wonders why his parents went with that name. - Azazel - 'evil demon', evil spirit', or even 'fallen angel' are what the biblical groups believe his name means. - Bushroot was a tall black duck, his feathers reminding Regina of the night. No hair, but he did wear a black hat and suit. He looked like a professional, but a professional what? Regina did not want to know and still doesn't know. He felt dangerous, but Regina soon found out this wasn't the case. Her Grandfather treated her like a mini-adult, and while he was slightly cold to Reginald, he wasn't mean about it. Abaddon treated Reginald like any other adult, kinder in fact because they were family. It was clear though that she was favored, but Regina can over look this fact because Abaddon didn't try anything with Reginald.

Unlike with her parents and other grandparents, Abaddon treated Reginald like family. That alone was enough for her to love the older duck just as much as she did Reginald.

Abaddon was her favorite grandparent, and it showed. He treated her with respect and love unlike her own parents who saw her as clay to mold. She had her own mind, and Abaddon knew this.

_-You can chose family, so what does that make family?-_

While not perfect, Regina honestly thought that she could wait out her parents until she hit adulthood.

She had a plan in mind for the whole thing too. Money was rarely ever spent by her, she saved as much money as she could. Some money was spent on gifts for birthdays and holidays, but that was it. Once she was old enough, she was going to get a part time job too. By the time she is old enough, she will have enough money for a cheap apartment at the least. Working on scholarships will be the next step, to lessen the burden in collage or a university.

Regina will be out of the house before she is 20, that much was certain.

She just never expected this. Honestly, for some time, she had forgotten.

Then, Reginald was mutated after she turned 10.

Forcibly reminding her that she lived in a cartoon where this was possible.

It was after then, that she was hit with a decision that was too easy for her to make.

Plans were made to be changed, even if some of it stays true.

_-What does family mean?-_

Numbly, she had watched as police came to the house to ask them questions about Reginald.

While Lily and Cypress sighed and told the officers they always knew that Reginald was a bad egg, Regina quietly asked one officer where her brother was and what was going to happen to him now. The older dog must have saw something on her face, because he lead her away from the others and quietly explained that her older brother was for now being held in the county jail until they can transform him over to a prison that was better equipped for someone like him.

After hearing that, she then asked if he was getting the death penalty, which the officer quickly denied. Unless something happens, then no, he will not. Vague, but pleasant to hear at the moment. Hearing that put her more at ease then ever before.

But it was when the officers were gone that made her plans change more then ever.

Lily and Cypress had started talking about Reginald, how bad he was, how Regina would never be aloud around him. Normal and something she has heard before. No, it was next that got her attention.

They were going to push for Reginald to get a harsher punishment.

Regina could hear, 'country', 'death', 'chair', and 'plant'. None of the painted a good light. They didn't want Reginald to their name anymore. They never saw Reginald as one of their own, so why would they care.

To them, they wanted Reginald out of their lives no matter how it gets done. Maybe if he had been their only son, they would have ignored it or just moved out of the country. But they have her, their favored little girl. This changes things.

Really, it wasn't that hard of a decision in the end.

_-Family is a feeling. It's where you feel love, safe, and happiness even through the bad times. Family is when you know someone has your back no matter what and you can turn to them no matter what happens or what you do. Family is a choice. Family is forever. Blood, DNA or a piece of paper can not tell you who family is, only you can.-_

Late at night, Regina picked up her cell phone and dialed a number as soon as Lily and Cypress were asleep.

She was not dressed for bed. Putting on a light green and pink blouse, purple skirt, green tights and sturdy brown dress shoes, she looked ready for school instead. She slipped on her favorite sweater, a green one with pink flowers and purple and pink designs on the bottom of it. It was slightly baggy and the sleeves were puffy. Glancing in her vanity, Regina looked to her book bag and piggy bank. She thought about everything as she put on two hair clips to get her brown hair out of her face. Her hair stopping just before her shoulders, uneven.

Plans change, but some things will carry over no matter what.

"Grandfather? Yes, this is me..... I know it is late, but I just wanted to tell you something."

There was a pause, Regina _smiles_.

"What is so important? I just wanted to tell you that I am running away."

She knew she was going to leave the house before she hit 20, she just never knew that it would before she even hit her teens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regina is slightly different here. In WMRL, when she was younger, she cared but didn't care about the plot of Darkwing Duck. She refused to get mutated, yet it happened anyway.
> 
> Here, she doesn't care at all. She will do what she has to for those she calls family.
> 
> Abaddon's wife has already passed on in this story unlike with WMRL.
> 
> And yes, I did take the introductions from WMRL and put them here, changing it up only a little bit. It wasn't laziness, but the fact that I would have typed almost the exact same thing anyway. Practical.
> 
> Regina is very much the same though, only younger. She is in the morally gray area after all.
> 
> She takes after her Grandfather as I like to call it.
> 
> I also made a drawling of Regina! I just wanted everyone to have a visual, although I know it's not the best.
> 
> https://orig00.deviantart.net/3ae0/f/2018/007/5/0/regina_bushroot___different_flowers__same_garden_by_harrish6-dbzbnht.jpg


	2. What Would You Do For Family?

It didn't take long for Regina to pack everything. A few extra pieces of clothing, a warm blanket, canned food, a few pieces of bread and water bottles that she sneaked out of the kitchen, some hygiene supplies and a first aid kit that Lily had kept in the bathroom just in case. She even packed a few luxury items; Jewelry that her Grandfather had given her, her favorite book, a few notebooks and pens, and a few photos.

She also grabbed a plastic bag and got a few coats and hats from the coat closet near the front door. It was important to her first step of the plan.

After packing, Regina turned her attention to her piggy bank. Quickly, she opened the pig and got the money out. Opening the cabinet that the piggy bank was on, she pulled out a notebook that held all her money information. How much she had, what she spent, ect. Light sky blue eyes read the page, until the final number on the paper was the only thing left to read.

$469.28

That was how much was in her piggy bank. How much she had to her name.

How much she had to use for her plans.

Putting the money in a wallet and the coins in a change pouch, she hid the money away in her bag just in case. St. Canard was a city filled to the brim with crime after all. It was like the Gotham to Metropolis. Preparation for everything needed to be done.

Glancing to her cell phone, Regina placed it on her desk before going to make her bed. Placing some stuffed animals that Cypress had given her in the bed, making it look like she was sleeping in it. Cell phones could be tracked, it was simple to do in this time and age, so she would have to leave it. As tomorrow is Sunday, Lily would let her sleep in. A rare thing, but something that would work in her favor.

Once that was done, she put her piggy bank where it was, made sure nothing was out of place. Taking a look around the room where she has slept for ten years, she felt nothing.

It was just a room.

Regina found that this said a lot about everything.

Slipping out of her room, Regina swiftly sneaked out of the house, making sure to lock the door behind her. The stars and moon hidden behind the pollution of the city. Taking in a deep breath, trying to calm her pounding heart, Regina headed for the direction of the county jail.

Memorizing the maps had been easy in theory, but now it was time to test this theory.

**_-Two Hours Later, The County Jail-_ **

"Chief!" The Chief of police - a older bull dog - turned to see another officer bursting into his office.

"What is-" The Chief demanded, only to get cut off by a panicked reply from the young officer.

"It's a Code Yellow-08!"

The Chief paled. "WHAT!?" Not even waiting for a reply, the dog ripped off his walkie-talkie and started talking fast in it, running out of the room with the other officer following. "Attention all officers! I repeat; ALL OFFICERS! We have a yellow-08! I repeat; Yellow-08!"

Above, in the air vents, Regina watched them leave, the door slamming shut behind them. Frozen still, she listened to everyone moving around in panic. Once the noise was farther off, Regina was on the move.

Kicking open the vent, Regina caught it before it fell. Bringing it up, she sat it in the vent. Looking around, she found the camera. Reaching in her sweater, she pulled out a paint ball. Aiming, the duckling threw it, hitting the camera lenses straight on. Taking a moment to make sure the whole lens is covered, Regina started the next phase of her plan. Moving one leg out, she carefully jumped and landed on the desk below her. Quickly and not pausing for anything, Regina made sure her gloves were on tightly and started her search.

Opening cabinets and other containers only brought up paperwork and documents. Although some of the documents caught her eyes, like one about QuackerJack and Megavolt, she didn't stop for them. While blackmail may be helpful, now was not the time for it nor did she want to chance it. Having powerful villains after her was not something she wanted, ever. Seeing nothing in anything, Regina went to look on top of the desk. Nothing. Light sky blue eyes slowly went up then. It was only when she looked to the walls did she find what she was looking for, hanging on a bulletin board.

_Keys._

Making sure to be silent, Regina climb up the cabinets to grab a hold of the keys. Once that was done, she hid them in her sweater. In case she was caught. Better to play stupid and escorted out of the building then be caught red handed in this case. There was too much on the line for her to be caught at all.

Going to the desk, Regina looked at the computer that showed all the cameras. Taking in a deep breath, Regina hit the power button, hoping that it would work.

Cartoon logic was on her side today it seemed. As soon as she hit the button, all the cameras went out. Unknown to everyone but her. Once that was out of the way, there was less worry now. But that didn't means she was home free either. Getting off the desk, Regina headed for the door to the office.

Opening the door a bit, making it look like the wind or air made it open, Regina peeked out. The hallway was empty.

Just as planned.

Swiftly moving, Regina kept a ear out as her eyes moved. Stopping and peeking around the corners, looking for other ways once a officer showed up, hiding as soon as footsteps came near her, Regina was a duckling on a mission. One that could not fail.

Before she knew it, the holding cell she had been looking for was right in front of her.

Walking up the bars, Regina quietly cleared her throat to get the sulking figure's attention.

A head snapped up, and then two set of light blue sky eyes met.

"Regina!" Reginald Bushroot, in all his mutated plant glory hissed out in worry. Knowing this would happen doesn't stop the shock at seeing him like this. Petaled hair, feathers gone, green all over and brown roots for legs. The only thing that stayed the same was his eyes, color matching her own. Then, a bit of anger hit her. She could tell he was hungry, his leaves wilting and he sagged in a way that made her think that he was hurt in some way. 

Stumbling to the bars, Reginald bent down and Regina could see so many emotions playing on his face. Shame, regret, worry, and sadness were only a few she could name. "What are you doing here?! It's dangerous! Where's Mother and Fa-"

"I'm here to get you out." Regina cut off her elder brother, listening out for footsteps. "I'll explain everything once you're out of here."

"Regina, I can't-" Reginald flinched when Regina looked sternly up at him, big eyes filled with so much worry.

"You can." Regina then reached into her sweater, pulling out a set of keys. "I found the keys to the cells. Once we open the door, we are going to go out that window-" Here, Regina pointed to the end of the hallway, making Reginald lean over to look to where she was pointing to. "and then we are going to go down a few alleyways to hide out for a few minutes just in case. I hid some items back there as well."

"Regina...." Reginald breathed out, looking down at his now leafy hands. Glancing down, he saw Regina trying every key to unlock the door. "Why? I-I'm not....Look at me!"

"Reginald, every time I see you, I only see my Brother." Regina softly answered, missing Reginald's flinch and tears at the answer. When a soft click sounded out, Regina smirked, hopping off the bars. The cell slowly opened keys, sticking out.

"We can talk about this more later." Regina reached up, grabbing Reginald's hand. Pulling, she easily lead him to the widow in a hurry. "For now, we have to get out of here."

"Where are the police anyway?" Reginald couldn't help but ask, twitching at seeing no officers around.

Regina snorted, letting herself be lifted by her older brother as he climbed up for the both of them. "It seems they got a anonymous tip that Megavolt was doing the electric slide on the other side of town while he freed his precious light bulbs. All officers have been called into action. Apparently they call it 'Yellow-08', meaning that this has happened way more then once."

"Regina!" Reginald lightly scolded, only to laugh. The laugh became hysterical as he opened the window and got them both out, the window shutting behind them.

Reginald Bushroot expected a lot of things today.

His precious little sister became a criminal because of him was not one of them.

Mother and Father loved Regina much more then him, Reginald knew this before Regina was even born. Hearing that they were going to have a girl, it was like something in his parents came alive. For a while, he resented the unborn baby. His parents always ignored him and his troubles, just because he was a boy. A girl would be treated differently then him, spoiled in love and care unlike what he got.

Then, he met and saw Regina. A sweet innocent baby with the brightest of blue eyes. The same blue eyes as him even. Love at first sight for him, Reginald was gone the moment Regina looked his way. As it should be he supposed, Big Brothers have to take care of their Little Sisters no matter the age difference.

Shame Reginald was too weak and cowardly to do it.

Looking back on the last few years, it was Regina who took care of him. She put band-aids on him, kissed his boo-boos, talked him through his issues, made sure he was taken care, and always greeted him with love and affection no matter what their parents say. Regina was brave, braver then him. She held so much love in her, he was lucky she showed him so much of it. To take care of her was all he wanted to do, but it always ended up with her taking care of him.

Their roles were swapped in a way. It made Reginald truly wonder how messed up their family was for this to have happened. One child neglected so bad he chanced mutation and even death to prove himself, another child who grew up too fast and has taken the role of adult. He didn't care about the roles they played in the end though, it was normal for them. Been like this for more then five years, ever since Regina could walk and talk.

No, what he cared about was the fact that in his descent into crime, he dragged Regina down with him. She cared too much for him to just let him fall, didn't she? He cared about the fact that their parents had done something wrong with them both, that he couldn't protect his sister in the ways that mattered.

It seems like he can't do anything right. He couldn't even protect his baby sister, the only family other then their Grandfather to show him respect and some form of love. Worthless, that was what he was.

While Reginald fought with his doubts and self-worth, Regina was shaking her head at the whole 'busting out'.

 _'No wonder criminals get away with so much here! They make it so easy!'_ Regina sighed mentally, just thinking of how simple it was to trick the whole police station and police in the county jail. _'Without heroes, how would they get anything done?'_

**_-Ten Minutes Later-_ **

"R-Regina..." Reginald rubbed his hands together nervously, glancing around the dark and hidden alleyway. His eyes eventually settled on his little sister, who was moving trash around, showing that she had hidden her backpack and plastic bag behind them. "W...What is going on exactly?"

"Dear old Mother and Father talked about potentiating to get you the chair." Regina bluntly stated this fact, making Reginald whimper out as if struck. "There was also talk of just making your sentence worse. I think that they believed that you would be a bad influence on me, so they wanted you out of the picture. But I don't understand what goes on in their minds."

"S..So you ran and broke me out?!" Reginald whispered harshly, looking on the verge of a nervous breakdown. "What's the point in all this?! Sister, you should have left me to _rot_ -"

"Do not ever say that." Regina snapped, head turning to glare up at her brother. "Brother, do not ever say that to me. Do you even understand what you are asking me to do? I refuse to leave one of the two people I claim as family. Do not ask me again to leave you for **dead**."

Reginald winced, now understanding how that sounded. "I...I'm sorry Regina. I-I'm just worried..."

"I know. But don't worry, I made a plan." Regina sighed, a smile growing on her face. "Well, Grandfather and I have made a plan. A few plans in fact, just in case."

"G-Grandfather _Abaddon_?" The plant-duck hybrid was in shock at this new information.

Regina nodded, pulling off her gloves to put them back into her backpack before turning her attention to the plastic bag. "Phase one is done, I got you out. Now, it is on to phase two."

"What's phase two?" Reginald asked quietly, shaking like a leaf.

"Phase two is to get to Duckburg unnoticed." Regina answered, pulling out Cypress's old trench coat and hat. "Put these on Brother, we need to keep you mostly hidden for now. If anyone asks, you are naturally a green duck but you are in the processes of molting for medical reasons. Thus explaining the lack of feathers on you."

Shaking hands took the clothing. "Regina...." Tears were coming down, Reginald took in a shuddering breath. "I....I don't understand....I'm a _freak_!"

"Reginald, I love you." Regina sighed out, closing her eyes briefly before snapping back open. "You looking different and suddenly having superpowers does not change this fact."

Reginald was shaking harshly, sniffing and looking like he didn't know what to do. "I...I don't know what to do...."

"I know Brother. Do not worry, like I said before, I have a plan." Regina soothed her older brother, reaching out to pull out a beanie and fake over sized glasses. She was going to need to cover her own face and features just in case someone recalled seeing her. "As soon as we are safe, we can talk about everything. But for now, we are on a time limit. I am sorry Brother."

"N-No...I...I get it." Reginald put on the coat and hat, making sure to tuck his feathers in. He watched Regina do the same with the beanie. "B-But..." Regina looked up at him, placing on the fake glasses that made her eyes almost invisible. "Why Duckburg?"

"Because that's where Scrooge McDuck lives." Regina answered, putting back on her backpack, ignoring how Reginald's beak hit the floor. "Grandfather said that he was calling in a favor from him for us."

"An...And that is?" Reginald breathed out, feeling so numb at the moment. He must be going into shock.

"We are going to ask for Sanctuary for us." Regina grimly answered. "Grandfather is going to start a war with the media, police, St. Canard University, and lovely Mother and Father. We are going to clear your name, most likely start a few riots in the processes, and get Grandfather is going to fight to get custody of me." Regina took in a breath, taking her brother's hand to get him to follow her. "We would be in Grandfather's way right now, so we need somewhere safe to stay. If we stayed with him, that just gives our great Mother and Father weapons to fight Grandfather with. Don't worry Brother, Grandfather and I will handle this."

With that, Regina lead the sobbing mutated duck out of the alleyway. She knew her brother wasn't in the right mind-frame right now, might never be, so she would have to do most of the work. That was fine with her, anything to keep her family safe.

 _'Calling a cab would be too risky.'_ Regina hummed, before nodding to herself. _'The bus stop it is. After that, walking.'_

"Come on brother, Duckburg isn't going to come to us after all. It's right across the bay, not too far away." Regina hummed out soothingly while her brother just nodded, still silently sobbing. "Soon you'll have a soft and warm place to rest at."

**_-Two Hours Later-_ **

Looking back on it, it was pure luck or cartoon logic that no one stopped them or asked any questions. Apparently it's true that no one notices a guy in a trench coat. Not that Regina was complaining, the whole thing just showed how easy it was for the criminals. And as she had spent most of the night planning and breaking out her brother out of jail, Regina thinks she is counted as a criminal now. Never going to admit to it though.

Dawn was breaking, the sun was starting to peek up, by the time they made it to the mansion gates.

Taking a deep breath, Regina motioned for Reginald to pick her up. He did so, giving her the height needed to hit the call button. Pushing it, the Bushroot's waited for a answer.

"This McDuck Manor, I am sorry to say that we are not buying-"

"Abaddon Bushroot sent us." Regina swiftly cut off the women's voice. "He told me that Mr. McDuck would be expecting us."

A pause lasted for a while. Regina glanced up to Reginald, taking in his tired and worn out expression. Her eyes snapped back to the front when the gates suddenly opened.

"Please come in. Mr. McDuck is waiting for you."

Jumping out of the mutation's arms, Regina took Reginald's hand once more to lead him up the driveway.

**_-Inside McDuck Manor-_ **

"-ask me tae do this!" Scrooge sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I don' get it! Tha' old bagrach be askin' me out of nowhere!"

"It does seem important though." Beakley pointed out. "For him to ask you to pay back that favor...."

"Ye be right." Scrooge sighed, only for his head to snap up once a small knock sounded out. "Tha' must be them."

While Beakley went to open the door, Scrooge wondered just how this was his life now. First, his grandnephews come to live with him along with his nephew. Then, he decided to start up his adventures once more. And now, Abaddon himself was asking for him to pay back that huge favor he owned him. Just how did these things happen to him?

All these questions stopped though when two people walked into the foyer. The little one took off a pair of huge glasses and the beanie they were wearing, showing the small one to be a young girl about the children's age. Scrooge's heart stopped and hurt, feeling saddened that a young child was out at this time.

"Mr. McDuck, we are asking for Sanctuary." The little girls' voice sounded out, not too high pitch and having a soft flow to it. "He said that you would grant us it in exchange for the favor you own him."

 _'She's like a mini-adult.'_ It was honestly a bit of a jolt to hear a small girl sound and talk like a grownup. Not be expected for sure. Sharing a shocked glance with Beakley, Scrooge cleared his throat. "Tha' be right me dear. May I ask who ye two be?"

"I am Regina Bushroot." Regina, the little girl answered. It made Scrooge's mouth drop. Bushroot, meaning that she was related to Abaddon. The dark duck didn't mention this fact. Probably to laugh at him for it later. She then gestured to the taller duck standing by her. "This is my older brother." Scrooge watched as Regina whispered something to Reginald. The taller duck shivered, then lifted up a hand-

A _green_ hand.

Both Scrooge and Beakley watched in frozen, cold shock as the green hand took off the hat. Petals, not hair, in a purple shade came out. It was wild, yet curled around his face slightly. Green skin, no feathers in sight. Yet, there was a orange beak on the face, telling them both that this was suppose to be a bird of some kind in front of them. Sky blue eyes, the same kind that are on the girl, stared at them. A face so tired, weary stared at them. It was easy to tell the other had been crying, with eyes so hollow. Shaking and shivering, the creature tried to smile at them.

"H...Hi..." The green creature blinked, looking scared and shy, and his voice was slightly higher pitched for a male, but still obviously a male's. "I-I'm Dr. Reginald Bushroot."

Scrooge's brain left for a vacation at that moment.

Beakley, however, was now standing straight and looking ready for everything. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Regina quickly moved in front of Reginald, who was now cowering at the buff duck's tone. This was not like the Ducktale's she remembered, but hopeful that was a good thing. "We are Abaddon's grandchildren. Are you going to allow us Sanctuary?"

Forget vacation, Scrooge's brain came back only to wreak the office called his head. Because, grandchildren? That dark dangerous duck had grandchildren hidden away?! One of them-

"Ye be tha' doctor tha' mutated himself?" Scrooge blurted out, eyes on the two guest, walking out from behind Beakley, ignoring her warnings. "Ye name be all over the news....but I didn' know ye be lookin' like this..."

Seeing a little girl be a shield to her older brother, who looked to be so shattered at this point, so worn out and broken, didn't sit right with Scrooge. Call him what you will, but he's not heartless. The older duck watched as Reginald tried to find the words, only to just give up. Regina seemed to see this, as she stepped up to the plate once more. It made Scrooge wonder just what was going on.

"Yes, he is that doctor. Pictures of him will not come out though if Grandfather has any say in the matter." Scrooge was going to bet that Abaddon had all the say in that matter. "The only picture that would show him like this would be his mug shots anyway. As long as he keeps his full name hidden, it should be fine until Grandfather deals with everything."

"And just what exactly does that mean?" Beakley stood straight, brow raised in question. "What does Mr. Bushroot have planned?"

"Grandfather is going to work on getting Brother's name cleared and get custody of me. That's the short version of it." Regina admitted, glancing to her brother, who was just staring at the floor. "We would just be in his way. Once our names get out, there could be some people who would want to do us harm. Grandfather can't have his attention split like that right now. That's why we're here."

".....Aren't ya supposed tae be in jail?" Scrooge finally asked, only to look down at Regina in shock once he saw Reginald glance down to Regina. The old duck knew what that type of look meant. "Did ya-?!"

"Mr. McDuck, I don't know about you," Regina lifted her head up, eyes cold like a winter sky. In that moment, Scrooge could see how she was related to Abaddon. "but I would do anything for my family."

".....I don' know wha' I be thinkin' anymore." Scrooge finally sighed out. "Fine. I be grantin' ya Sanctuary."

"Mr. McDuck-" Beakley tried to say, only for said duck to shake his head at her. She closed her beak and looked away.

"Now, me family be livin' here too." Scrooge warned the two, heart going out to the little girl who looked so brave. He understood her in a way. She admitted to going to any length for her family, not confirming or denying that she somehow broke her brother out of jail. If nothing else, this little girl had nerves of steel. "I ask ya tae all get along. We'll introduce ya all later. We be talkin' all about this later."

"We will." Regina agreed, reaching up to take her mutated brother's hand. He took it as if it was a lifeline. "May we rest now? We've had a long day."

"Of course me dear." Scrooge looked to Beakley. "Mrs. Beakley, would ya?"

"Of course sir." Beakley sighed, motioning for the two to follow after her. "This way please."

Scrooge watched them go, standing alone in the foyer.

It was strange for him, so much changing in such a little amount of time.

When Abaddon called him, he didn't know what to expect. For the most mysterious man to call him, one who is deemed the third wealthiest duck in the world, it must have meant it was a emergency. And although Abaddon is _officially_ the third wealthiest, Scrooge would bet his first dime that unofficially he was more wealthy then what he said he was. Wouldn't Glomgold get a kick out of that? To be the third wealthiest would be a insult to him. But Abaddon never played the game in the spotlight like them...until now that is. Having family on the line must be something that he was willing to go to extreme lengths for.

Abaddon was a dangerous duck, it wasn't hard to tell. Having fingers in a ton of pies, some that may even be out of sight of the public. Dangerous, with a all-knowing glint in his eyes that reminded Scrooge of a abyss. The dark duck was not a normal one, one with connections that would make Scrooge's head turn. Apparently this dangerous duck was a family man too, willing to call in a favor that was made years and years ago.

Seeing light sky blue eyes go colder then the winter sky was enough for Scrooge to see the resemblance between them all though. He didn't doubt that they were all related.

It was the girls', Regina's, words that made him agree in the end. First, it was her admitting that Abaddon would be fighting for custody of her. This meant her parents were unfit, that they played a hand in all of what Scrooge was seeing and hearing. Next, her words on that they would probably be in danger once word gets out. Scrooge could see this, having heard about Dr. Reginald Bushroot and what happened to him. Glomgold himself would love to have a duck that could control nature itself. And if Abaddon does get custody of Regina, that would make her his heiress, something that Abaddon never found after his son 'ran off' to elope. Now though, Scrooge is thinking that 'ran off' is a lie Abaddon made so that his son could live in peace. A lot of good that did in the end, as his Grandchildren were now in need of help. Finally, it was her telling him that she would do anything for family.

Scrooge thought back to his nephews, all of them. How lonely he had been before they came, how bitter he was. Then, he thought to how Regina stood in front of her elder brother, looking like she was ready to take any beating, any bullet, in place of him for all the world to see.

Wondering was all he could do right now. What could make a little girl grow up so fast? Make a girl run to break out - and Scrooge knows she did, even if he doesn't know how - her older brother? What could make a said older brother so broken? Who did it to them?

What could make a duck willingly mutate himself?

Shivering, Scrooge glanced out the window. Morning was here, but if he went now, it would give him time to sleep for a few more hours.

Heavy questions like this were best to be answered after some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set after the first episode of DuckTales. I will go along with the episodes, but I also will go along with my own as well. It'll be mixed.
> 
> I tried to get Scrooge's accent right, but I don't know about it. I'll just keep at it until otherwise though.
> 
> Abaddon Bushroot is officially the third richest duck in the world, like a few hundred or thousand under Glomgold. Officially.
> 
> Unofficially, he's way more richer. He makes himself seem less for....reasons. He doesn't usually come into the spotlight, but this time he is. Family comes first in his mind, and his son is no longer his son. Cypress crossed a line that should not have been crossed.
> 
> Regina is smart, she honestly could test out of school yet doesn't because she knows she needs social interaction. Regina is still Regina in the end though, meaning she is not all the way sane nor is she insane. She is on that line and is morally gray.
> 
> Reginald is still shaky after his mutation, that is to be expected. He will slowly get better, but not for a while. Reginald was admittedly a famous or slight well-known scientist. I took it a step further is all, to show how much he tried to gain his families love. After Regina was born, he tried even harder, more so then in canon, to prove that he is a good older brother, a good role-model. But because he is a boy, his parents never saw anything good with him. His sister on the other hand does see the best in him, and that made his mutation all the harder on him.
> 
> I also will be showing some Reginald some love, he deserves it. Meaning that he will have moments with other characters. My story, I can do what I want!
> 
> More Darkwing Duck characters will show up later on. The episodes from any cartoon I do use will be different, as Regina and Reginald are in it. Just warning everyone.
> 
> Next chapter, everyone meets, house rules are set, some legal drama happens, and Reginald shows a small portion power he has when he thinks his precious sister is in danger. Luckily for all involved, he is stopped before he can show his full power.


	3. To Be A Kid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://orig00.deviantart.net/eb85/f/2018/007/7/c/reginald_bushroot___different_flowers__same_garden_by_harrish6-dbzbo0q.jpg
> 
> I made and own this picture. It's of Reginald in this story, drawn in the reboot style. I gave him so clothes to show the difference, that with Regina as the younger sibling it changes him even if only slightly.
> 
> The episode I used in this chapter is S1Ep2 - "Daytrip Of Doom!" from Ducktales 2017. Episodes may be out of order once I get to them and I will be using ideas from the comics too as well as my own original ideas.
> 
> Regina remembers the old DuckTales, the older cartoons, she doesn't recall too many newer ones. This includes the reboot. So, she is going in blind mostly unlike in 'Where My Roots Lead'. This makes it fun for me, as I can put her reactions in here better. Most of her reactions is amusement, as she knows she is now living in a cartoon, but still - it's fun!
> 
> I have no idea who I am going to pair up Reginald with. So, I will give him moments with people I can set him up with. Although, you better believe that Regina is going to be overprotective of Reginald. Not because of jealousy or anything like that, it is because she knows him and his issues. She doesn't want someone to take advantage of him or play around with him, breaking him even further. So people after Reginald's heart better be prepared.
> 
> Reginald will also have his moments where he is overprotective of Regina as well. It goes both ways, just at different levels and reasons that set them off.
> 
> Regina is going to be paired up with Louie, that's the endgame pairing for them you could say. Opposites attract, and they can help one another. Regina in no way knows how to be a kid, and Louie is not responsible - they could help each other with Regina getting Louie to be more responsible and work harder, and Louie can show Regina to relax and be more like a kid her age implies. They even have a few similarities. But, I have plans for this pairing and I am going to be taking a different rout in the way I am doing this.
> 
> I am just going to say this about the whole thing; Screw Gender Rules! I don't believe in them and I am not ashamed of it.
> 
> I want to thank nightmaster000 for helping me out with this pairing as well. I have a ton of ideas for this pairing and I can't wait to make them real.

Regina was startled awake by the sound of childish laughter and the sound of something popping in a rapid pace. Sounding almost like a pellet or dart gun almost. The sound almost made her dive for cover, thinking that the police had found her and her brother. In between asleep and awake messed with her senses, but eventually she woke up enough to realize that it wasn't loud enough to be a gun.

Calming her beating heart, she glanced around, finally recalling where she was.

Glancing around, Regina took in the room. A large room for sure, showing just how much wealth Scrooge really had. A canopy bed, desk, vanity, chairs and stools, it had everything a guest might want in it. There was even a balcony.

It made Regina wish she had that type of money, if only so that she could pack her brother up and leave the country without worries. And without going through the more.....shady channels to get it done for cheaper if she had to do it.

Still doesn't change the fact that if she had to, Regina would have done anything - _even morally questionable acts_ \- to get the two of them out of the country, ask for asylum from another world power that can go toe to toe with the USA, or one that doesn't care about the USA.

Hey, if Scrooge didn't take them in, there were other plans that Regina was willing to go through. Not all of them - _none of them really_ \- were innocent or on the legal side of things. When she said she would do anything for her brother, she meant anything. If that meant getting her hands dirty, forever stained with not even bleach being able to clean them, then so be it.

Shaking these thoughts out of her head, she turned her head to look besides her. Reginald had fallen asleep as soon as his head had hit the bed. Beakley had tried to give them separate rooms, but Regina refused that. Not willing to chance anything right now, Regina told her that they would share a room until stated otherwise. The room was certainly big enough for the both of them anyway, the bed was big enough to fit five or six of them. Although, now thinking on it, Beakley most likely did this on purpose after Regina told her "no" to the different rooms.

"Brother~" Regina lightly cooed out, reaching out to poke her brother's beak. It reminded her of when she was three, back when Reginald was around her a lot more. Reginald would read to her, his collage books, after asking for it until they both would fall asleep together. It was great, until Lily told them that she was too old for such things. "Big Brother~"

" _Umh_....Five more minutes...." The plant-duck hybrid mumbled out, only to yelp when Regina stuck her finger in his mouth. " _Wegina!_ "

"Reginald, we have to get dressed for the day." Regina told the older, pulling her finger out from his mouth. "I think the rest of the house is up already."

Just as she said this, a wounded cry sounded out.

Seeing Reginald starting to shake in fear, most likely thinking worst case scenarios, Regina decided that chances must be made. "I'll go peek and see what is going on." Seeing Reginald opening his mouth to argue with her, she cut him off sternly. "You are scared, that's perfectly normal after what has happened to you. Let me handle this brother, I did break you out of jail after all. I'll be fine."

"I-If you're sure..." Reginald twitched, slowly sitting up on the bed. Regina nodded, hopping off the bed to get dressed.

"I'm sure." Regina assured, pausing to put on her sweater after buttoning up her blouse. "Why don't you get dressed? I.....took some of dear old dad's clothing." The way she said 'dear old' made it sound like a insult instead of a term of endearment. "I'm just going to take a glance is all, just to see that everything is fine."

"O....Okay..." Reginald slowly breathed out, trying to calm himself down. "Y-You'll come running if it's anything bad?"

"If we need to get out in a hurry, yes." Regina told the older Bushroot, going to the door. "It shouldn't take long."

With that, Regina slowly and silently opened the door. It reminded her of when she was sneaking out of her old house, the one owned by Lily and Cypress. Slipping out the door, she made sure to leave it cracked open slightly. Just in case she needed to get in quick and in a hurry. While she honestly didn't think anything wrong was going on, nothing could be left for chance.

Not when family was on the line. Regina already lost her first family to death, if she lost any in this life....Regina knew she wouldn't make it.

Determined, Regina silently crept down the hallway, following the sounds of others moving and what Regina thinks is muffled voices.

Eventually she could make out the voices more clearly, meaning that the people were most likely on the other side of the wall. Looking around, Regina saw that no one was outside the window, meaning that they had to be on the other side of the wall. With that in mind, she turned her attention to the end of the hall. Coming closer, she could hear voices even more. Putting her head to the wall, she frowned as she still couldn't make anything out.

Wanting to know just what was going on, Regina knew she would have to take a risk in looking around the corner to see what was going on. Whoever is talking might even be in one of the hallways on the other side and not just around the corner. So with a wildly beating heart, Regina came to the edge, and then peeked her head around - freezing.

Light sky blue met black.

It was funny how just a few hours ago, she never thought what it meant by living in the same house as Scrooge McDuck, the duck from the cartoon DuckTales.

It also never hit her that the cartoon she had seen a few times could be wrong, or at the least, a different timeline then what she is in.

There was a duckling in front of her, wearing a green hoodie, staring at her in shock and widening eyes. But there was no mistaking that this was one of Scrooge's nephews. Yet he looked nothing like the ones she remembered. The other three that she remembered wore plain colored t-shirts and hats, just in different colors. Too different then what she could recall from the cartoon she barely watched. Although she watched it enough to know that this isn't how the one in green is supposed to look like. Taking in a deep breath silently, Regina knew that this wasn't right. That she wasn't right. That she shouldn't be here, she shouldn't be alive, and she surely messed up so much just by being born once more.

But without her, Reginald would be living the life of crime, driven deeper into insanity. Besides, just because she saw a certain cartoon doesn't mean anything. It could just mean that she was in a different timeline or Universe then the one she saw. If Spider Man can have that, then Ducktales and Darkwing Duck can too.

Although....it still doesn't change the fact that she should not be alive. That she knows that this is not how this is suppose to go. She is a fluke or a error in the codes. So...What then?

What can Regina do in the face of someone who is _right_ , when all she was is _wrong_?

**_-Before Regina Peeks Around The Corner-_ **

"Man...Webby is taking this too far." Louie groaned, pushing the pillows away from himself. Slowly sitting up, he watched Dewey run off, most likely going to check up on Huey after hearing him yelling out in pain. Sighing, Louie decided to just go down a different hall, hoping that he would avoid the insanity that is going on around him.

Putting his hands into his pockets, Louie turned with a few grumbles. Just when he was going to turn around the corner, he froze when a head shot out from around it.

Then, he was looking into the _sky_.

Stiflingly a gasp, Louie tried to calm his thundering heart. At first, he thought he might be looking at another ghost, ghoul, or whatever creature was after his Great Uncle's head this time. It was only when he looked fully into the face so close to his that he realized that this was in no way a creature.

A girl, it was a girl around his own age. Another duckling was in front of him, with short brown hair and the bluest eyes Louie has ever seen, looking just as shocked as he was a few inches away from him. He didn't think Uncle Scrooge had another kid around, if he did, surely Webby would have mentioned it? Webby has lived in the mansion most of her life after all, so the girl would have noticed and mentioned another girl around their age if there had been one living here.

Louie would have mentioned the girl in front of him if she lived in the same place as him.

Really, all Louie could see was the sky in the girl's eyes. He never met someone with that shade of blue eyes before. He could count on one hand with how many people he has seen with blue eyes, let alone be this close to one to tell the exact shade of their eyes. Light sky blue, without a cloud in sight. Blue eyes were a rare thing from what he can tell, with black eyes like his own being the most common.

Taking in a breath, Louie was about to open his beak to say something, anything-

"LOUIE!"

Louie almost cursed, reaching out a hand to stop the girl when she turned and ran for all she was worth after the yell.

"W-Wait! Hey!" Louie called out, tripping over his feet as he tried to go after the girl. "Stop!"

The girl didn't listen. By the time Louie was steady on his feet, the girl was long gone. It was like she was never there. And as Louie has actually seen a ghost now, he was having second thoughts on if the girl was alive or not. Sure, she didn't look like the ghost from before in Scrooge's garage, but that didn't mean anything. Maybe there were more than on type of ghost?

"LOUIE! COME ON! UNCLE SCROOGE WANTS US IN THE DINNING ROOM!"

Roughly shaking his head, Louie sighed and pushed those thoughts to the back of his head for now. Later on, he would ask Webby about the whole thing. The duckling seemed to know a lot after all and has lived her whole life in the mansion, so she would most likely know something. If not, he'll either ask around some more or just forget about the whole thing. Could be a one off chance or he could be delusional.

But for now, Louie turns around with a carefree shrug and starts heading down to the dinning room. He had to go see what Dewy was yelling at him for and what his uncle Scrooge wanted.

**_-With Regina-_ **

It was only when the door was shut - _carefully not slammed as to make as little noise as possible just in case she was followed_ \- did Regina stop moving. Sagging, putting a hand to her chest as if to stop her pounding heart. Running off was a split decision on her part. Her mind was having a slight meltdown. It was one thing to see Mrs. Beakley and Scrooge, it was another thing to see one of the triplets. Like a slap to the face it was. Shocking to the system. Something that really didn't hit her until just now; That she was so, so wrong.

Regina Bushroot should have never been born, should have never existed. Yet, this world is nothing like the one she could recall. So, if she was wrong, what did this mean for the rest of the world. Was she the only thing wrong with it, or was she the only one right in it. Maybe she was nothing. Too many variables, too many questions with no answers. All of it in her mind, swimming and screaming to get out and find the answers, but she couldn't. Answers have to wait. Safety and family comes first.

Once Reginald and herself were safe and sound, then and only then will she look for the answers to what she craves. Even if she isn't sure what those questions are or if she will like what the answers will be and do to her.

Seeing the duckling in a green hoodie had also hit home just how different everything was. Whether it was a good different or bad one, only time could tell. Time that the Bushroot's may not even have. With a world like the one they were living in, it was hard to tell what would happen next.

Regina was finally going in blind. Just like how life should be; It scared her more than she would like to admit.... And excited her beyond any measure.

"R-Regina?" Regina's head snapped up, breaking from her thoughts, to see her brother standing by the bed, dressed in a blue-green dress shirt and white jacket that was closed up. "I-Is everything alright?" Her brother went on to ask, nervously fiddling with his fingers and looking to her with worried eyes.

Taking in a deep breath, Regina stood up. Now was not the time to question her existence. No, not when her brother was in such a precious position. His needs were greater than her's at this moment; Her worries can come later.

"Do not worry Brother. It seems that the nephews that Mr. McDuck mentioned were playing darts." Regina explained soothingly, eyes softening as she watched her mutated brother relax at her tone. "I did not want to get caught up into such things, so I ran back." Regina carefully did not mention her panic or getting seen. All the truth, but missing some pieces. Half-truths. Now was not the time to add more onto her Brother's shoulders. Reginald was too delicate right now to panic over Regina's silly worries and fears.

Regina wasn't meant to be born, Reginald was. Her worries can wait until this drama was over and they were safe with their Grandfather.

With that in mind, Regina went to her backpack, getting the clothing out and making sure that the notebooks, her money and valuables were safe. Some things she can leave in the room without worry. Others, Regina was not willing to take the risk.

"It is still early morning. Mother and Father most likely have not noticed me being gone just yet." Regina stated aloud, going through everything as she checked everything in her backpack. "Grandfather had told me that he will start things up today. It will most likely be on the news later today; But he is going to save the big guns for later. The jail on the other hand has most likely already noticed you are gone....Hopefully they have. If not, I worry about St. Canard." Regina mumbled the last part, recalling how easy it was for her to break her brother out of jail. "But they are most likely not saying anything as to not cause mass panic."

"I...I-Is t-that bad?" Reginald fretted, rubbing his hands together as he watched his little sister zip up her backpack after checking it. "R-Regina...."

"No, in fact, Grandfather is hoping that they do this." Regina honestly answered, patting her sweater out of habit. Regina knew that there were a few things hidden insider her sweater, things that even a baggy sweater should show and be able to feel from the outside. Heck, they shouldn't be able to stay within her sweater at all. Cartoon logic might mess with her mind, but that didn't mean she wouldn't use it to her advantage. "Gives him a advantage with the public and he can catch them unaware."

Reginald paused, a sweat drop forming on his face. This was sounding more and more like a crime, and this was coming from the only-no. Reginald recalled that Regina did break him out of prison, so, they were both criminals. Just, he was the only one who was caught. And Grandfather Abaddon....Reginald would not be at all shocked if he has a body count to his name that would make the devil himself balk at. 

_'I know I've done many bad things in my life...'_ Reginald gulped, glancing to ceiling as he silently prayed. _'But please don't make this backfire on them.'_

The mutated duck didn't deserve what they were doing for him. He mutated himself on purpose, went to turn those horrible coworkers into plants, and tried to take and mutate Rh- _her_ \- _Don't think her name, don't even try to!_ \- after loosing grip on what little sanity he had left. Regina should have left him there to rot, should have let their parents to go to the courts to have him killed. Worthless, that is all he was and will ever be.

_'So why can't Regina and Grandfather see that I am a lost cause?'_ Reginald softly sighed, glancing down to his sister.

Before any of them could say anything more, a knock sounded out. Reginald flinched violently while Regina put on her backpack, just glancing to the door after making sure that Reginald was behind her.

"Yes?" Regina called out as she shifted. She knew it was most likely one of the others - _Mrs. Beakley or Scrooge_ \- to get them, but one could never know. It seems her paranoia just grew in this life rather than leave her.

Who knew cartoons could make someone so paranoid?

Regina's shoulders tensed, but relaxed once Mrs. Beakley poked her head from around the door. The young duckling had no idea why her mind went to the worst, but she doesn't think that is going to stop any time soon.

Mrs. Beakley took in the two in front of her as she opened the door further. The little duckling, her granddaughter's age, was standing firmly in front of the older duck, the older brother, who was looking to the ground and shivering in fear. The duckling's, Regina's, eyes were staring up at her; Daring her to try anything.

For a moment, Mrs. Beakley forgot that she was staring into a child's eyes. While bright and light in color, a rare color at that, they were old. Experiences could age one's eyes, as they are the window into the soul, and Regina's were older than her appearance implied. Looking up to the older one, Reginald, Mrs. Beakley took in his weary eyes, and anxious appearance.

'Just how bad was their home life?' Mrs Beakley silently asked herself. It made her blood boil that adults, parents who are supposed to love their children, could do this. It also said a lot that the youngest child was willing to stand in front of what was seen and thought of as danger for the oldest one. 'Just how bad were the ones you called "Mother" and "Father"?'

Taking in a deep breath, Mrs. Beakley smiled down at the two new house guests. "Mr. McDuck has called a house meeting. You two are to come so that we can introduce you both and then go over some house rules. Mr. McDuck should be going over what has happened earlier this morning with them now."

Nodding, Regina quickly took her brother's hand, not once looking away from the buff duck in front of her. "Will you lead us to where we need to go?"

"Of course. Come, this way to the dinning room." Mrs. Beakley told them both, stepping out of the room first. She had a feeling that they would not step out otherwise.

Giving Reginald's hand a comforting squeeze, Regina started to lead him, following after Mrs. Beakley.

It was time for the make or break.

**_-In The Dinning Room-_ **

"Now, before we get tae the house rules," Scrooge started to say, narrowing his eyes at a certain duck for a moment before going back to looking at everyone sitting at the dinning table. Webby, Huey and Dewy sitting at one end of the table, Donald and Louie right by them on the side of the table. "I need tae tell ye all somethin' important."

"Are you giving us money?" Louie asked right off the bat, a smirk working it's way up on his face. "An allowance?"

"Are we going on another adventure?!" Dewy shot up, eyes shinning in excitement. "We're we going next? The Bermuda Triangle?"

"No!" Scrooge quickly denied when he noticed both Huey and Webby opening their beaks to add in their own questions. "I'm not givin' ye all money, nor are we goin' on a adventure right now. If ye all would listen tae me...." Scrooge trailed off, waiting to see if one of them would intrupt him. Once no one did, Scrooge went on. "I accepted two new house guests."

Donald's head shot up, a confused frown on his face. The kids on the other hand were excited and curious. But, Scrooge noticed how Louie frowned a bit, eyes narrowing in thought.

"Abaddon Bushroot asked me tae pay back a favor I owed him." Scrooge lightly stated, hoping to anything that none of them would ask what favor Scrooge was paying him back. "His two grandkids came tae me early morning, askin' for Sanctuary until Abaddon can take them in safely and legally." Because Scrooge had a feeling, that if that old dark duck could get away with it with no one being the wiser, Abaddon wouldn't care about anything legal and just do it.

"Sanctuary..." Donald muttered, glaring down at the table. Louie's eyes widened, eyes shinning in realization.

"Abaddon Bushroot....Isn't he the third richest duck in the world?" Heuy asked aloud in slight amazement. "They say he is a recluse. Doesn't show himself in public that often, even if he does give out huge donations and a ton of businesses under his name. There are no mentions of him having grandkids though."

"Officially, he is the third richest." Scrooge nodded in agreement. A amused smirk growing on his beak. "Officially. Unofficially, I would bet he's closer tae me wealth than even old Glomgold ever could be. But don' tell that old duck that. Would break his heart and pride!"

"But Mr. Scrooge, why would he ask for Sanctuary?" Webby asked in confusion, face scrunching as she tried to think on it all. "Sanctuary, it means that they are under your protection as long as they are on your property. You have to protect them, because you accepted it." Webby explained at seeing the trio's confused expression before turning her attention back to the richest duck. "Why would he do that? Didn't that go out of style?"

"Yeah, why couldn't they go to the police if they need help?" Dewy asked aloud after hearing Webby.

"Because the police be the ones causing some issues. Besides, Abaddond wasn' the one tae ask me for Sanctuary, his youngest grandchild did." Scrooge promptly stated, getting shocked looks all around. "I don' understand all of it. But, from what I get, The oldest grandchild got caught in some trouble that is not all it appears ta be. He had a....accident. Their parents are also....unfit from what me understanding be." Scrooge snorted without humor, catching Donald's eyes. Seeing the question in them, Scrooge tilted his head forward in answer. Donald's eyes went hard. "Now, I be wantin' ye ta get along with them. The youngest is around the children's age, the oldest is already a adult. I don' know how long they are staying here." Scrooge lightly told them all, eyes serious and stern. "The youngest is Regina Bushroot. The oldest is Reginald Bushroot."

"Dr. Reginald Bushroot?!" Huey asked, eyes shinning in excitement while the whole group turned to look at him. "He's one of the smartest scientists around! No, the smartest Ducks around! His breakthrough with cures for toxins and poisons have gotten him the National Medal of Science! Never mind the awards and prizes he's gotten for his theories and papers alone! That's not counting the other awards he's gotten; Like the Public Welfare Medal and even in the running for several Nobel Prizes! He's one of my heroes!"

"Oh? Did you hear that Brother?" A new voice laughed out, amusement and humor laced in every word. "You have a fan."

All heads jerked to the voice. They found Mrs. Beakley standing in the entrance, a duckling right by her, holding a hand of someone out of view. The duckling's eyes were a light sky blue, sparkling in humor and a small smile on her beak.

Louie's beak fell open slightly, eyes opening a bit further. It was the girl he had ran into in the hallway. Luckily, no one noticed his expression and gave him enough time to get the shock off his face.

"Mr. McDuck, I have brought the Bushroot's like you asked for." Mrs. Beakley gave nod to Scrooge. Once Scrooge thanked her, she walked up to Scrooge, standing by the blackboard that was covered right behind Scrooge.

"Why don' the two of ye sit down." Scrooge nodded to the two empty chairs across from Donald and Louie.

Regina glanced behind her. "Come on Reginald, everything will be fine." Tugging the hand in her hold, Regina walked straight and proud into the dinning her, her mutated brother following behind her - looking like death was right over his shoulder.

Donald had to hold in the gasp that wanted to come out, watching with wide eyes as the two sat across from him. The duckling - _no older then his boys!_ \- named Regina gave them all a polite smile, letting go of her brother's hand to pat him on the arm. Donald could see the one called Reginald relax at the touch, eyes never leaving the table. It was a strange dramatic that they had.

"Hello." Regina inclind her head forward in greeting, not too low, and smiled softly at the group around her and her brother. "I am Regina Bushroot. This here is my older Brother, Dr. Reginald Bushroot." Regina gestured to her shivering brother, who was just staring at the table. It was obvious he feared their reactions. "My brother had some issues with a experiment and some....coworkers. Because of this, he has been mutated into a plant-duck hybrid. Please treat us kindly while we are in your care."

Scrooge wasn't the only one to give Regina some looks, but she didn't care. It wasn't hard to see that they saw something wrong with her. But it would make sense that something about her felt off to those who were right. It made her want to scream, but she held it in. In any case, there was no need for her to hold back on how she was. She would not hide her intelligence away. If she didn't do it at home and school, there was nothing stopping her to do the same here. There was no point in it. Let them think what they will and do what they want; So long as her's is safe, what did it matter?

For now though, Regina will keep a close eye on them all. What she knew from the old cartoons held no meaning her to her now. Not with how different everything was. All she can do is watch and wait to act once it comes down to it.

While more than one duckling wanted to ask just what had happened, they could tell now was not the time for that. But that didn't stop them from staring at Reginald in wonder and awe. Never before have they thought that was possible, that someone could be mutated. It sounded like something out of a book or comic.

Donald had no idea what his Uncle was thinking. He had been so against just watching the kids, but now he is taking in another duckling and even a adult? This favor must have been a huge one for this to happen. Taking in the older one, Reginald, who sat across from him, Donald could admit to himself that the other made his paranoia meter go up. Who mutates themselves? Is the mutation only physically. Why was this duck, who looked like a breeze could take him down, running from the law? It made everything in him scream to get the other away from his family. Because Reginald was a unknown, one who Donald didn't know if he could be trusted around his kids. But, it was out of Donald's hands. This here is Scrooge's home, and Scrooge took debts and favors seriously. No one would be able to touch the Bushroot's as long as Scrooge was offering Sanctuary if that old duck had any say in it.

Yet, at the same time, Donald had the feeling that them being here would just make his - and his kids's - life more insane than it already is.

Taking his eyes away from the older sibling in front of him, Donald froze when he caught the eyes of the youngest sibling.

Looking into those eyes, Donald had a hard time believing that he was looking into a set of child's eyes. They share the same color as Reginald - _for all Donald can tell, Reginald has yet to look up at any of them_ \- but that's it. Reginald's eyes were aged with time, weariness and other things that Donald could not tell or even see. Yet, this duckling? A duckling's eyes should not be that aged. Should not have that glint of 'knowing' and of something that Donald could not even begin to see.

What was Donald missing? What was he not getting or seeing?

"Donald Duck." Donald shortly introduced himself, getting a small smile and nod from the little girl.

Regina took her eyes off the adult that was across from her to glance at the trio at the end of the table. They blinked back at her. She opened her beak to say something-

"Hey! I'm Webby! You have really pretty eyes!" The girl, Webby apparently, shot off in a rapid pace. Face excited, fearful and anxious all in one. "They look like the sky!"

It was quiet after that. Webby shifted and glanced away from the new comers. Did she do it wrong? Was she being weird again? Webby was just ready to just slump and give up - _hoping that the floor would eat her._ \- but then a chuckle broke out. Webby looked up to see Regina smiling and chuckling, Reginald even smiled even if he didn't look up from the table.

"Thank you, Webby." Regina slowly stopped chuckling. Never before has a child around her own age complicated her eyes. Usually, they stated her eyes were 'weird', 'freaky' and 'wrong'. Jealous children, Regina knew this. But it still didn't stop the warm feeling she got at the compliment. Regina was proud to have the eyes she did, she shared the same color eyes with her brother after all. "No one around my age has ever told me that. So, thank you."

"I don't see why not. Blue eyes are rare, only about 8% of people in the world have them. And for that exact shade of blue? Probably even more rare!" The duck in red rattled off, making Reginald glance up before looking back down. His smile more relaxed. The red one trailed off, seeing the other's attention. "I...I'm Huey....by the way...." Huey nervously smiled.

"And I'm Dewy!" The one in blue, Dewy, quickly added in so that it didn't get too awkward. "That there is Louie."

Regina followed to where he was pointing, eyes landing on the duckling sitting right across from her. The one she had ran away from out of panic and fear. Taking in the half lidded eyes and slouch, Regina's beak slid up a bit more in amusement.

Seems these triplets have more personality then the ones she recalled. No longer just clones or being the same person just with different colors on them. Nor is Webby the perfect little traditional girl character, only used to have a girl in there. Donald looked different as well, and he was actually here in the mansion instead of with the Navy, but personality will have to wait and see. Scrooge seemed nicer - Regina can recall in the first episode of the other Ducktales and in the comics, Scrooge said some very...colorful things about the poor. And that wasn't counting what was said and done in the comics either. Like only paying his own family with pennies for their work or being rude to his own family. - and more open, so that was good for them all. Mrs. Beakley was more a bodyguard than a Nanny or maid, looking like she could break a person with just her pinky.

Everything was so different. So much more colorful.

It also meant that she had nothing to go off of.

"Hey." Louie greeted with a lazy look on his face, shrugging and leaning onto the table. Seems like he doesn't care on what she was doing when they first ran into one another then. Works for Regina, all the better for her really that he's not bringing it up.

Before any one could say anything else, Scrooge hit his cane on the backboard, making all the ducks sitting down jerked to look at him.

"Now tha' be out the way; It's time for some house rules!" Scrooge called out, pulling the sheet off the blackboard to show that there were only two things written on it. "Rule one; My space is my space. My study, my sleeping quarters," Scrooge glared at Donald, who just rolled his eyes. "my washroom." Pointing to the next rule, Scrooge glanced out at them all. "Rule two....Defer to Mrs. Beakley for all subsequence rules. I'm pleased tae have ye all here as long as it doesn' inconveniences me."

Scrooge made as if to walk off, but then paused. Stopping, he eventually looked back at the table where Regina and Reginald sat. "So ye two have any questions for me?"

"Yes, I do." Regina nodded right off the bat, reaching into her sweater and taking out a little handheld notebook and a pen. Opening it, Regina glanced inside before looking to Scrooge. "I want to know if it is all possible for me to order some things, but under your name as to not give us away at being here. That kind of thing can be tracked after all. I have $466.25 with me in cash, so I can and will pay you back." Regina stared at Scrooge, missing - more like ignoring - the dumbfounded looks directed at her. "Food is a must. Clothing, cheap clothing, is needed as we are going to be staying here, most likely long-term depending on how everything goes with Grandfather. I know that this is going to be a long battle, so preparation for the worst has to be done. We can make do with cheap products for however long needed. Then, I'll have to find some fertilizer and plant vitamins. With how Reginald is a hybrid now, everything is a guessing game with him biologically. So, plant vitamins and maybe some other things as well." Regina hummed in thought, thinking hard on it all. She has no idea if Reginald can even eat normal produce, or if he ran fully on sun and water now. Maybe a mix of the two? Until they do some light medical check-ups, and more than one X-ray, it was a guessing game.

"R-Regina...you-you don't have to p-pay..I-I have money." Reginald finally looked up from the table to look down at his sister, stammering his offer. It was true too. He had quite the amount saved up from all his awards and work, and living cheaply made sure that he had enough money to live comfortably without ever having to work again if he wanted too. Not rich per say, most of his money had went to experiments, plants and his theories, but enough if he was careful. It should be enough for the both of them to live off of until their Grandfather can take them in.

"As soon as you were arrested, they should have froze your bank accounts." Regina sighed aloud, rubbing her head. One one hand though, with how the police are..... " _Should have_. But with how easy it was too... Well, anyway, they can track you if you take money from a ATM, a bank or use a credit card. One of the reasons I left my phone behind, they would have been able to track me down with it. In any case, better to use what I have and think of a plan of action while doing so. Let me do this for you Brother, you need and deserve to be spoiled." The duckling waved off Reginald's concern, and flustered stammering at the 'you need and deserve to be spoiled', focusing all her attention back on a very concerned and shocked Scrooge. 

"I can find what I need online, but it would have to be in your name, So, if it's alright..." Regina trailed off, waiting for a answer patiently. She had all day and more to do negations after all.

Scrooge had no words to say, merely gaping at the duckling who could not be older than ten years old in pure astonishment. Glancing to Beakley, he could see her feeling the same with how her poker face is twitching. Looking to Donald didn't help either, he and the kids were looking at Regina with wide eyes as if seeing her for the first time ever.

_'This....this is a adult in a child's body. This little lady had to grow up too quick and too much.'_ Scrooge could not believe what he is seeing or hearing when it comes to the Bushroot's. Here was a little girl, no older than ten, dealing with things a child should not even have to think about. All this responsibility was pushed onto this little duckling, and she was taking it as if it was a everyday thing for her. Sure, a little responsibility is great, a wonderful thing for children to have, but not so much to where they are no longer the child they are.

Then, there was the oldest. Scrooge could see that there were many things wrong with how Reginald acted. One should not have the kind of fear, anxiety and broken will without there being multiple reasons for it. It was if the two siblings were swapped. Regina acted like the older sibling, while Reginald was more like a younger sibling. A shy and nervous wreak of a little sibling at that. This sort of situation doesn't happen overnight, it is something that takes years to make happen.

_'Abaddon, ye old bagrach duck, wha' did ye son and daughter-in-law do tae these kids.'_ Scrooge took in a deep breath, horror filling his heart. No child should have these worries, and no grown adult should go through the things Reginald has and act like he is. Abaddon, no matter how Scrooge swears up and down that said dark duck has a body count that is up in the five digits at least, if not more, to his name, has the right idea. There is no way that these two have had suitable parents - _if those two adults can even be called 'parents'_ \- ever in their lives.

It must hurt - _or more likely made the duck **burn** knowing him_ \- Abaddon to know that his own flesh and blood turned out to be a horrible parent. What would Scrooge have done if Donald had turned out to be a unsuitable parent? It was a horrible thought and made the richest duck slightly sick to even think about.

"Me dear, there is no need tae worry about tha'." Scrooge soothingly told the duckling with a smile. "Ye don' need tae spend ye money for tha'. I offer ye Sanctuary after all."

"Sanctuary just means protection." Regina shook her head with a frown. "You do not have to give us food, clothing, or even a bed to sleep on. You just have to keep us safe and alive from outside forces as long as we are in your home, on your property. To ask for more would be asking for you to pay more than the debt you owe and said you would pay."

"Then, I'll add it with no extra charge." Scrooge ignored Donald silently choking at this. "Me Dear, ye are a child. Ye brother is in no shape tae take charge. And ye may not know this, but I owe your Grandfather a debt I will never be able to fully repay even after doing this for him. Let me take care of you and your brother until your Grandfather can."

Scrooge felt off talking to the child like a adult, but at the same time, not too would be a insult. A compromise must be made. He will not talk down to her like a child, yet he will not give in and treat her and expect her to be like a fully grown duck. Maybe being around the other children will help her? Time is the only one that can tell, but all Scrooge can hope in the end is that everything works out for everyone.

_'What did Grandfather do to make you so indebted to him?'_ Regina mentally asked, brows raising. Really, the whole thing was sounding like Scrooge owed her Grandfather a life debt, or even something more than a life debt. Meaning that her Grandfather did something that was worth more than Scrooge's own life, at least in the richest Duck's mind. Made her wonder how they met and how this whole thing started. But those questions could wait for a later time.

"I see... Thank you then." Regina nodded in thanks, smiling lightly. "My Brother and I are in your care... Fully in your care."

"Good." Scrooge firmly nodded, before looking back at everyone else. "Now, if ye all don' mind, I'm going tae go to my washroom."

With that, everyone watched Scrooge walk off. Once the door shut, all eyes snapped to Mrs. Beakley, who was smiling at them.

"This might be Scrooge's mansion," Mrs. Beakley started sternly. "but it is my house. So," Mrs. Beakley put her hand on the chalkboard, flipping it rapidly before stopping it, showing the other side of the board. It was filled with writing, charts and even graphs. Both Bushroot's were impressed she fit that much on there. "my house rules."

"Sh-Should w-we t-take no-notes." Reginald whispered down to his little sister, fearful that if they fail at the rules, they would be kicked out. It felt like school all over again.

"No.... I'll ask her to print them out later if it becomes a issue." Regina whispered back, eyes scanning the blackboard intensely. "Just ask for permission before doing anything, that should stop most rule breaking it seems."

There was no way Regina was crossing the buff duck unless she had too. The older duck looked like she could crush her with just one finger.

"Exhaustive, comprehensive-" Mrs. Beakley started with her eyes closed, only for her eyes to shoot open when the sound of a chair sliding across the floor sounded out. It didn't take long for her to find Donald was the one who got up. "Where are you going?"

Donald stopped walking with a frown, holding up a dirty sleeveless shirt. "I've got unmentionables to wash." The sailor answered point blank, gesturing to the dirty clothing he was holding up.

Mrs. Beakley sighed, closing her eyes for a second before opening them back up to look at Donald sternly. Regina could swear that the buff duck had been rolling her eyes behind her eyelids.

"Rule 58; If you need something, ask for permission first." The fit duck recited firmly.

Regina looked to Reginald with almost invisible smile. Reginald nodded back with a amused smile.

"You here that boys?" Donald looked over to the triplets with a smile, not getting the big hint. Regina raised her eyebrows at this while Reginald immediately looked down at the table out of habit, feeling like a fight was brewing. "Ask permission."

"Rule number 23;" Mrs. Beaklely started, pointing to said rule that was underlined and circled. "No one is above the rules, Donald." Mrs. Beakley put down her hand, folding both arms behind her back. "If you had simply asked for assistance we could have avoid what I am referring as the "Undergarment incident"."

The triplets and Webby giggled at this, making Donald glance over at them. Regina, meanwhile, was watching everything with hawk eyes and Reginald was shifting, feeling very uncomfortable.

"I can take care of myself." Donald lowly said, eyes in a glare and getting into a stance as if getting ready to fight. Regina though, noticed that the unmentionables that he had been holding are gone, as if never there. Something she didn't notice happen, even though she had been staring at the sailor the whole time.

Cartoon logic and physics at it's finest.

"That is not your decision to make." Mrs. Beakley stated, firmly walking right up to Donald. "You live here, you answer to me."

Donald pointed to himself, getting on his tip toes to glare up at the bodyguard. "I answer to no one!"

The moment Reginald flinched from the yell, Regina was out of her seat. The sound of a screeching chair made everyone pause and look to where Regina was.

"Arguments, confrontations and fighting make my Brother very uncomfortable for very good reasons." Regina did not mince words, making more than one duck flinch back. "So, we shall go look at the garden while you two....hash things out like the _adults_ you two are."

So, Regina might be overprotective of her brother. But it was all for good reasons, and she will do what is needed and say all that is there is to make sure her brother is safe, even if it is the little things. The wounds are still too fresh on Reginald, seeing two others fight is not going to help him. And call her petty, but Regina is not just going to sit there while her brother is frightened, so she will do what she can. Her age limits her in many cases, but it can work in her favor just as well.

The other ducklings were in awe. Here was another duckling their age, scolding two adults like it was a everyday thing. Glancing to the two ducks, frozen and staring at Regina dumbfounded, and to the now leaving Bushroot's, Louie couldn't help but whistle, impressed.

"Louie!" Huey hissed, looking to their uncle in worry.

"What?" Louie chuckled, shrugging. "Did you see that? Uncle Donald just got scolded! By a kid our age."

"Yeah, did you see that?" Dewy laughed, grinning in excitement. "If only we could do that!"

"Yeah, and be grounded for life." Huey pointed out with a frown.

"No one's ever talked to Granny like that...." Webby bit her bottom beak, looking her Grandmother up and down with wide eyes.

At the sound of the other children, both Donald and Mrs. Beakley snapped out of it.

"Outside! Now!" Both snapped, pointing to the door so fast their arms blurred.

**_-Outside, With Regina and Reginald-_ **

"Why don't we sit here, Reginald?" Regina gestured to a bench that was half shaded by the trees. It was close to the wall/fence that was around the mansion. "You can sit in the sun, I'll sit in the shade. We wouldn't want you to wilt, right?"

Leading - _More like dragging_ \- Reginald to said stone bench, Regina glanced to the holder of the hand she was holding. "Reginald?"

The plant-duck hybrid blinked, seemingly to gather his thoughts. "R...Regina, you...you didn't have to s-say those things...." Reginald gulped, eyes darting around nervously. "W-What if they kick us out?! O-Or make our time here horrible?!"

Gently patting the hand that she held with her free hand, Regina softly spoke to her own brother as if he was a cornered rabbit. "They were making you uncomfortable. Besides, they were arguing in front of children. Adults, parents and guardians especially, should know better than to do that. Doing that, even once, can cause mental issues and scars to last their whole life if it is scarring enough and young enough. Children do not need to be exposed to such things."

_'But....you're a child too...'_ Reginald sighed, letting Regina walk him to the bench. He sat down on the side covered in sunlight, she sat on the shaded part. _'Why is it-?!....I should have been the one to say something.'_

He was just too weak, and Regina was the one that had to pick up the slack because of this fact. He loved his sister all the more for it, but also felt so ashamed because of it.

"Isn't this much better, Brother?" Reginald looked to the side, to see his precious little sister beaming up at him. "Just think, soon Grandfather will make his first move and before we know it, we'll be living with him." Regina glanced off to the side with a hum. "I wonder if he has a garden? If not, then we can make one together."

Reginald let Regina's talking wash over him, relaxing further the more she talked. _'Maybe this won't turn out so bad-!'_

**_*CRACK!*_ **

Reginald was jolted out of his thoughts when his sister suddenly dove on top of him, making the both of them fall off the bench and to the ground. Blankly, he watched what looked like was a ball fly past where they had been sitting before, going by in a deadly speed.

Both Bushroot's looked up, watching as a tree - _now with a round hole going right through it, the same size as the thing that flew past them_ \- fell to the ground. Both noticed the four, equally shocked ducklings, looking back at them with wide eyes. Once it hit the ground, Reginald gave a horrified gasp.

"O-Oh-oh, you poor thing!" The hybrid cried out in nothing but horrific shock. "L-Look at what they've done to you!"

All Regina did was blink. Then, the next thing she knew, she was in Reginald's arms while said Brother was now up and all but running to the fallen tree.

_'If nothing else, it will never be boring here.'_ Regina mentally snickered before focusing more on the fallen tree. Worry at what it was saying to her Brother and if it was okay.

She didn't want her Brother to do something drastic, and she always had a soft spot for plants. Must be genetic.

Just as long as mutating oneself - _for any reason_ \- isn't genetic, Regina is fine with it.

**_-With Huey, Dewy, Louie, and Webby-_ **

"IT'S TIME FOR FUNSO'S FINZONE!" All three brothers cried out in excitement.

"What's that?" Webby asked in curiosity, leaning down to get their attention before leaning back up once she had it.

"Only the greatest place one could ever imagine imagining!" Louie threw his hands up in enthusiasm.

"Where your dreams become reality, and reality becomes some crazy kind of hyper-dream." Huey added on, putting his hands together as if to pray.

Dewy threw open his arms and put them around his brothers, a grin on his face. "Where punch refiles are free!"

"Funso's Funzone, where fun is in the zone~." Dewy let go of them go, as all three recited the catchphrase of the place they were talking about.

"Oh, yeah." Webby glanced away for a moment, rubbing her arm. "That Funso's. Of course. Everyone knows Funso's." Webby glanced to the boys with a frown, arms crossed.

"Let's go, boys!" Louie gestured to the gate, all three of them jogging off.

"Oh, well, have fun." Webby called out, waving before turning around to walk back to the mansion. Catching sight of Regina and Reginald - _the older duck talking to the fallen tree and the smaller duck standing right by him, patting his arm in comfort_ \- Webby was about to go over to them when a call from Dewy stopped her.

"You coming?" Dewy asked, stopping and grinning back at the other duckling.

"Huh?" It took a moment for the question to processes in her mind, but once it did, Webby was grinning. "Yeah, sure! Let me get my stuff!"

With that, she ran past the Bushroot's - who paused in what they were doing to watch her climb up the mansion's walls like a spider and into her room with varying expressions - and went up to her window in only a fashion that Webby could pull off.

"I don't know." Louie frowned, walking down to Dewy along with Huey. "Webby's great for mine cart chases and all, but she's not built for everyday kid stuff."

"I still see the darts when I close my eyes." Huey blankly stated, eyes small and distant.

"Okay, she might be a bit off, but she has lived in a mansion her whole life." Dewy defended his new friend with a smile, waving off his brother's concerns. "We can help her!" Then, something hit Dewy. Blinking, Dewy truned with a smile to look at the new comers at the mansion. The adult duck, Dr. Bushroot, was now putting the knocked down tree back up with his superpowers - _which, by the way, is awesome to see!_ \- with the duckling around their age, Regina, softly talking to her brother, as if working him through it. "....Should we invite Regina too?"

"If she leaves the mansion grounds, she is no longer under 'Sanctuary'." Huey pointed out for his brothers. "Whoever is after her would be able to take her, legally if it is the police."

"But you heard Scrooge, he wouldn't stop protecting her just because she leaves to have some fun." Dewy brightly grinned, eyes shinning. "It'll be fine. What's the harm in asking?"

"She's weird." Louie didn't hesitate in saying, getting some looks from the others. "Not that it's a bad thing...usually." The duckling in green quickly shook his head. "What I mean is that....she acts weird. She sounds more like a adult than a kid."

"Well, we can help her with that too!" Dewy waved off Louie's words. "You'll see! Wait right here, I'll go get her."

Before the other two could say anything, the blue clad duck was running off.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Huey sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Because it's Dewy." Louie deadpanned, frowning. _'Is....Is she going to run again?'_

If Regina was allowed to be in the mansion, why did she run from him?

**_-With Regina And Reginald-_ **

"I'm sure the tree will be alright." Regina told her elder Brother, patting his arm after he finished putting the tree back into the ground. "The roots are still attached and fully functional, with some time and dedication, the tree will heal and live long after we are gone."

"I-I know... I just..." Reginald sighed, gently looking at the tree with a hole in it. "I can't help but worry for it."

"Oh, Reginald, you have a heart too big to keep in your chest." _'Unlike me.'_ The duckling giggled while the older duck became flustered and started to stammer something out.

"Hey!"

Both Bushroot's blinked at the sudden call. Turning around, they found one of the triplets, the blue one, coming up to them with a grin.

"Um, Regina, right?" Dewy pointed to her, making her twitch a little. Taking in a silent breath, Regina gave a small smile and nodded, making the boy go on. "Me and my brothers, along with Webby, are going to go to Funso's Funzone. It's a pizza place on the pier, it has games and free punch refills! We wanted to know if you wanted to tag along? It'll be fun!"

"Oh, that's sweet of you all." Regina couldn't help but smile at the beaming boy in blue in front of her. It...it was rare for children around her age to do this. Actually, Dewy would be the first duckling, first child, to ever invite her out to something. Other children seem to know something is off with her, not that she tries to hide it, and stay away from her because of this. Hell, most adults know something is off with her, they just usually have better sense and more self-control not to show how freaked out or how they feel about it.

It's a shame she'll have to decline his offer. Besides the fact she can't leave Mr. McDuck's land - _if she did, it would mean she no longer has his protection and Sanctuary is null and void_ \- her brother is still too fragile for her to just leave him alone. It was only a few days ago that he was mutated, his mental state is still in question - _not that her's isn't as well, it's just that others do not notice, know or see it_ \- and she fears leaving him would give a chance for him to turn to villainy just like he did in the cartoons. A silly fear. Yet, when one is living what was once just a cartoon, one takes silly fears very seriously as they are the ones more likely to happen. 

"But, I can't." Regina shook her head in negative at the offer. "My Brother and I-"

"Y-You should go." Reginald interrupted her, making her jerk to look up at him with wide eyes. "I...I think it's okay for you to go. It's still early, so Mother and Father most likely haven't notice you are gone yet. And t-they're in St. Canard, not Duckburg. I-It should be fine...right?" Reginald softly questioned, eyes worried yet so warm as they looked down at Regina.

Regina hummed in response, looking her brother up and down. "Do you want me to go?" She couldn't help but ask in curiosity.

"Y-Yes..." Reginald nodded as firmly as he could. "We-we don't know how long we'll be cooped up in here. I-I want you to have some f-fun before....before all the craziness happens."

Biting her bottom beak, Regina thought about it for a moment. Reginald made some good points. it's not like she would run into her parents or someone from school. Hell, even her Grandfather has a mansion in St. Canard and not one in Duckburg, although he doesn't usually live in it. Unless by some cartoon logic her parents decided to leave 'her' in the house to sleep and come to Duckburg for whatever reason, which is very unlikely especially with what Reginald has done and did, Regina should be fine to walk around. Maybe even after Grandfather makes his move, as long as no one knows what she looks like as they would look around St. Canard first before other cities surrounding the crime filled town.

"Alright," Regina started, a smile growing on her face. "I'll go. You raise good points Brother. Do you want me to bring anything back? Some pizza, if you think you can digest that? Maybe I can stop by a store to pick something up for you?"

"N-No, I'm fine." Reginald grinned, happy that he could get his sister to go have some fun and maybe have a chance to make some friends. He had noticed that his poor little sister had trouble making friends, she was just too smart for other children around her own age. Just like himself when he was that age. Maybe this group wouldn't mind Regina's intelligence? If nothing else, it would be good for Regina to go out and have some fun with others, something he is sure she has never done before.

"Alright!" Dewy cheered with a huge grin. "Don't worry, I know it's going to be fun!"

_"WOOOOOO~!"_

Everyone jerked their head up to the source of the yell, only to see it was Webby. Who, by the way, had just jumped out of her window - _which was not even close to the ground_ \- like it was nothing and that she did it everyday. Something that Regina could see and believe about the female duckling.

"This is going to be _fun_ , that much I can believe you on." Regina's smile grew into a amused grin, watching Webby free fall and land perfectly. Still cheering and yelling all the while. This version of Webby was so different than the one she could recall. If nothing else, Regina could see herself getting along with her. "Such excitement she has, if only I could have that energy. I would be able to power the whole city."

"h-heh..." Dewy nervously smiled, rubbing the back of his head. _'Well, too late to regret it all.'_ Dewy mentally pumped himself up. _'Just roll with it! What could go wrong?'_

**_-Fifteen Minutes Later; Bus Stop-_ **

"-and that's how to break a grown man's wrist with only your finger!" Webby brightly told her new friend, Regina. At first, Webby had been so nervous, using all her nervous energy to cheer, but then Regina had started asking about herself, wanting to get to know her. It was nice. Sure, she was still nervous and rambled on, but Regina didn't seem to mind at all, paying close attention to what she said and asking all kinds of more questions as they waited for the bus. "It's all in the pressure points and small bones."

"Fascinating!" Regina crossed her legs as she sat by Webby, the triplets sitting on Webby's other side and Regina sitting on one edge of the bench. "I knew about pressure points, but I suppose fragile bones are just as easy to hit as them. As long as you have the strength of course."

"Hm, that is one downside." Webby nodded in agreement, frowning as she thought about it before shrugging. "What would you do? If someone tried to trap you?"

"Oh, I wouldn't play fair." Regina admitted without a ounce of shame or regret. "I'd go for the eyes, the pressure points, the throat, just about anything really as long as I can get away safely. Anything and everything can be a weapon after all, even myself if it comes down to it."

Huey twitched at the conversation that was going on besides him. Louie, meanwhile, was lounging on his end of the bench, seemingly ignoring the whole thing and Dewy was just having fun sitting upside down. He wishes that he could just blank everything out like his younger brothers at times like this. Not that Webby and Regina don't seem nice! It's just that Huey knows that this is not a conversation two other ducklings should have.

Taking in a deep breath, Huey knew he had to steer the conversation in a different direction before the two girls start talking about killing someone in public. While he was sort of fine with it, he didn't want others getting the wrong idea and do or say something to the other two. It would also bring the wrong attention to Regina, who was still supposed to be in hiding.

"U-Um, Webby? Regina?" Huey interrupted the two girls, making them look over at him with confusion. "Have you ever been on a bus?"

"Well, I had to get myself and my Brother to Duckburg somehow, and walking would not have been a fast enough method to get that done in the time limit we had." Regina snorted, just imagining the very thought of walking all the way from St. Canard to Duckburg. Not that she wouldn't have done it, but it would leave too much time to chance, for the police to notice something wrong and find them. "Besides, I had to take the bus for school at times. Mostly for field trips."

"Sure I have!" Webby grinned, eyes looking shifty. "So....is it assigned seating or...?"

"Oh, this is going to be _fun_." Regina laughed as the bus pulled up. If nothing else, she'll get a show once in the bus. A excitable and obviously awkward ducking who has never been on a public bus? That just sounds like the makings of a joke, with a punchline that no one is going to like. Besides Regina that is, it's not like she cares if Webby causes some chaos on the bus.

What's like without some insanity? Regina has lived in this cartoon world for ten years. She has seen people get crushed and be fine after words, has seen people blow up like balloons and deflate like a flat tire. What's another weird and absolutely impossible thing to happen to add to the list of things she has seen? Regina was living a cartoon, and while it drove her up the wall, it still meant that all she needed to do was people watch to get her entertainment.

With that in mind, Regina got out her money as she hopped off the bench, walking inside along with Louie and Dewy as Huey stopped Webby from going in to tell her the basic rules real quick.

"Don't talk to anyone, don't touch anything, don't lick anything, don't go near the emergency break." Huey recited off hurriedly, not wanting to keep the bus driver waiting.

Webby saluted, to show that she understood the rules laid out before her.

**_-Inside The Bus, With Regina-_ **

_'Thank God it's Sunday. I had no idea that kids got in free on the weekends, but now I know.'_ Regina sighed, sitting straight on the bus seat in the very back. It gave her a good view point, making her able to see almost everywhere and everyone on the bus. Louie and Dewy sat not too far off from her, both of them talking to one another about something or another.

Sifting to cross her legs, Regina bit back a smile once she saw Webby walk onto the bus. She watched the other duckling stop and gap, looking around the bus. Then, her blacks eyes grew and started to sparkle. A wide grin growing on her face.

Even when Huey sat next to her, Regina could only keep a eye on Webby, who has yet to sit down even as the bus started to move. The adult like duckling knew that something cartoony was going to happen, and she didn't want to miss anything. Regina wanted to know just how far this version of Ducktales would go.

And Regina wasn't disappointed, because not even a few seconds into the drive, Webby jumped up, grab a hold of one of the hand holders hanging from the top of the bus, and started swinging on them as if it was a jungle gym and the hand holders were the monkey bars. None of the people in the bus caring or even looking at Webby as she swung around rather gracefully.

No, that was a lie. Huey noticed. How could Regina tell? Well, Huey face palmed so hard that Regina felt it, making her laugh softly.

"Well, if nothing else, she is confident in herself." Regina couldn't help but say aloud, watching Webby start swinging around to sit next to two adult male dogs, one looking like a biker with a Mohawk and the other in sleeveless shirt that showed off his tattoo, which was a heart with a knife going through it - inside the heart was written the word "KNIVES" in block worlds. Webby had no fear as she waved and introduced herself to the two. Most kids wouldn't be able to do that.

"Too much confident can be a bad thing." Huey countered, lifting his face from his hand. He watched Webby get up from her seat to go up and talk to the driver. "....I have a bad feeling about this."

"The worst thing she can do is cause us to wreak, causing a chance of us dying or being gravely injured along with the other passengers." Regina waved off the red wearing duckling's worry kindly, not noticing how he paled at her words. "If nothing else, this bus ride will be the most fun or amusing one I've ever had."

_'Your definition of fun and amusing are different from mine.'_ Huey gulped, glancing to a amused Regina, who was watching Webby run around the bus with a indulgent smile. _'....Why can't I ever have any normal friends?'_

**_-With Reginald-_ **

There were many reasons Reginald was happy to be a recluse and a wallflower - now literally a wallflower now that he thinks about it. 

It meant that others usually did not bug him, unless it was to get something from him. It also meant that he was usually out of the way of others and out of the danger zone, unless he made said danger that is. Reginald was usually left alone, something that he hated yet loved it. It was a double sided knife.

Seeing the windows of the mansion crash and break open, floods of water bursting out of the now broken windows now reinforced his thoughts on how great it was to be left alone most of the time. It also reinforced his thoughts that he was glad that he convinced his precious little sister to go off and have fun, so that she didn't have to deal with whatever was going on or worry for his safety.

And so, fearing for his safety, Reginald stayed seated on the bench, enjoying the sunlight and anxiously waiting for his sister's return.

"-A hour? I'll be waiting!"

Reginald blinked, looking up to see Donald ending a call on his cell phone, putting it away not long after. Not prepared for Donald to notice him staring, Reginald floundered for a moment, quickly looking away, staring at his folded hands in his lap.

_'Please don't come over here! Please don't come over here! I'm sorry for looking and making eye contact!'_ Reginald mentally prayed, only to hold back a distressed cry once he glanced up to see the other duck walking over.

"Reginald, right?" Donald asked, looking at the taller mutated duck. Seeing how the other was shivering in fear, Donald tried to make himself look as nonthreatening as possible. Sure, he might be worried about what trouble the two new comers will bring, but he doesn't want them to fear him. "Or, do you want me to call you 'Dr. Reginald' or 'Dr. Bushroot'?" Donald quickly backtracked, not wanting to be rude.

"N-No! There's no need for that!" Reginald quickly denied, finally looking up and waving his hands in negative. "R-Reginald is fine, M-Mr. Duck!"

"Call me Donald." Donald told the other, going to sit down on the bench next to him. "So, what kind of doctor are you? Medical?" Donald couldn't help but ask, curious on just what is going on and happening with the Bushroot's and why they were asking for Sanctuary.

"B-Botany, actually. I-I s-study plants." Reginald fumbled with his hands, not looking at the one sitting next to him. His heart - if he even had a heart now - was beating hard. Social interaction was not one of his strong points, not that he had many of those. "I-I had b-been resurrecting o-on how t-to m-make it so that p-people c-can get their nutrients and vitamins l-like p-plants do. F-From t-the s-sun and w-water alone, or mostly alone...." Reginald babbled a bit before biting his bottom beak to stop himself.

With raised brows, Donald could admit to being impressed. "So, in other words, you were trying to end world hungry?"

"I-I suppose so, yes." Reginald nodded in agreement. "I-I had been t-thinking o-of food shortages and such around the world.... I had f-feared that i-it would g-get worse o-one day, g-going worldwide. B-Better to nip the bud before that happens, right?"

"That's impressive. Your parents must be proud of your work-" Donald quickly cut himself off when he saw Reginald violently flinch, as if struck.

"Hahaha...." Reginald chuckled at the very thought, the very image, of his parents ever being proud of him. He could save the world from all evils, and he knows that they would never be proud of him, of anything he has or would ever do. It still hurts knowing this, but having Regina being proud of him - even though he knows he doesn't deserve it or her love - made up for it.

"R-Regina's real proud of my work!" Reginald stated in a rush, noticing the concerned look he was getting from Donald. "S-She's been following my research from the very start, t-telling m-me how proud s-she is t-to have me as her b-brother."

That alone was what made life worth living for Reginald. His sister, Regina, was the only thing left he had to hold onto and it made him all the guilty that he is dragging her down with him because of his selfishness.

"Regina, huh..." Donald thought back to those big sky blue eyes, old and aged in ways a child's eyes should not be. Glancing to Reginald's eyes, he saw that they were aged, but more watery and weary in a way that spoke of something different yet the same as the other pair of eyes.

"You sound proud of her yourself." Donald said, digging for more information.

"Yes! Regina is very smart for her age, smarter than I ever was at ten. The books she reads are well above elementary level and I know that she could skip more than a few grades if she wanted to." Reginald bragged, a smile growing on his face. "She is so nice and loving, gentle in a way. S-Sadly her knowledge scars off other children, so making friends is hard for her, but hopefully now she will gain four friends." Reginald's eyes lit up hopefully at this. "Regina is a good sister...I know she is going to go far in life and beyond it. People are going to remember her name." The mutated duck bragged once more, eyes shinning as he thought about it all.

"You...really look up to your younger sister." Was the only thing Donald could say. It was weird in a way, for the older sibling to look up to the younger sibling in such a way.

"I'm.....I-I'm a _coward_." Reginald laughed bitterly, making Donald look at him with wide eyes. "I'm weak, a coward. R-Regain is strong...so much stronger than I ever could be. S-she's the one to take care of m-me." The mutated duck put a hand on his chest, eyes going distant as he started to think back. "S-she kissed my boo-boos, treated my injuries, made sure that I could come visit her, talked to me about anything, listened to me every time I needed to talk, and made sure that I was safe and comfortable as I could be at hom-in that house." Reginald blinked, coming back to the present. He turned his head, looking to Donald. "I-I know it's weird...for the younger sibling to be the strong one....b-but is it so wrong to admire and look up to your younger sister?"

A face flashed in Donald's mind, making his heart stop. "N...No." Donald shook his head slowly, eyes going distant as well. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"I just wish I could be a better brother....but I'm too weak to be. Before this and now." Reginald muttered to himself, thinking back to all the times Regina either helped him, saved him, or made sure that their parents didn't start on him for whatever reason. "I-I'm not strong. Not at all and not like her...."

Both sat there until a few delivery trucks come driving up, Donald's delivery of generators coming in.

**_-With Regina, Webby, And the Triplets-_ **

"It was a nice bow tie." Webby nervously smiled, shrugging at the looks the boys were giving her. Regina's amused face made it a bit better though. At the looks, Webby gripped her backpack straps and looked off to the side with a frown. "Sorry..."

And Regina was amused. She had watched Webby bug the other passengers in the bus, eventually coming to the point where she demanded for the bus driver to stop as Webby wanted to get a better look at a dog wearing a bow tie. Now, Regina has no idea if it was a anthro dog or a pet dog - it was so weird to even think about it all - but it still didn't change the fact that the bus driver did stop, and then proceeded to throw them all out of the bus.

Well, she almost threw Regina out, but she was not having that. With a glare, daring the driver to even think about touching her, Regina got up by herself and walked off after the other four were thrown off. If that driver had touched her, it would not have been pretty. Like she was going to have a stranger - a adult at that - grab her, only to physically hurt her by throwing her out of a bus.

Thinking it like that makes it sound way worse than it is, which Regina would have been counting on if the driver did throw her out.

"I-It's fine." Huey assured, glancing away.

"it's just a short walk to Funso's." Dewy tried to comfort, only for Huey to frown and gesture all around them.

"Through the sketchiest neighborhood in town." The oldest triplet deadpan, making all the other ducklings look around them.

There was a dirty, tan rat using slime green spray paint to write "FLATULENCE" on one of the building's walls. Said rat turned around and hissed at them all once he noticed them staring. Not too far from where the rat was, was two kids playing where a murder obviously happened. Meaning that there was a paint outline of where and how the body was and had police tap up before someone ripped it down. One kid, that had a eye-patch, was jumping in the body outline, the inside of the outline having been filled in with chalk to look like and be used like a hopscotch. The other kid, a chick, was standing by waiting her turn.

And if that wasn't enough, a faint scream sounded out and a crate full of chickens - _actual chickens, not anthros_ \- wheeled by on a skateboard.

Now, was this on the weird side? Yes. Was it sketchy? Oh, diffidently. Was it the worst neighborhood Regina has even been in or seen? Hell no.

"You obviously have never been in St. Canard." Regina snorted, making them all look at her. "When a insane duck comes jumping or skipping in, dressed as a jester of all things, and throwing deadly toys around, or when a rat in a yellow jumpsuit comes to start stealing light-bulbs, talking to said light-bulbs as if they are talking back, electrifying all in his way with a insane laugh, or if it is a dog made out of water, calling out slogans like he is in a commercial, and either drowning everyone in sight or stealing from everyone in sight, then I'll start to get anxious. If all three of those options come in sight, then I'll fear for our lives in earnest."

Regina was honestly lucky she lived in a nice neighborhood, in this life and her last one. She knew it was very expensive, even with the house being on the smaller side, because of it being a nicer and, more importantly, safer neighborhood. It still didn't change the fact that said neighborhood was in and apart of St. Canard, insanity and crime was everywhere, no matter where you lived. It just came in varying sizes, amounts and types depending on where you lived. She was lucky never to gain the attention or be around when one of the more notable villains came around to cause havoc, but she has seen the news and aftermath of quite a few crimes.

In St. Canard, children are taught at a young age about crime. About the rates, why they are so high, and why people go insane even. At schools, the teachers show them the most wanted lists to memorize, on who to watch out for and keep away from and will keep the list up as to make sure the faces are burned into their young minds, only putting up a new list once it changed in any way to keep the students informed. Such a change to her old life, but not a bad one. Not with how crime filled St. Canard is, even with Darkwing Duck trying his all to clean it up - even if it is for his ego like it sort of was in the cartoon. But, because of school, Regina could list off the top fifty most wanted in her city and nearby said city, maybe even going as far as top one hundred.

_-Regina liked to be prepared. Living in St. Canard means that you know you are going to be held hostage at least once in you life, in some shape or form, or mugged by some random criminal. It's lucky if it is just that, a criminal. Unlucky if it is a villain. What was once a cartoon to laugh at, a comic to enjoy, was now her life. What were once silly villains were real, and could kill her without a second thought or regret. One of them could have been her own brother if she didn't step in. So, yeah, Regina memorized almost the whole wanted list and made sure to know where the shelters were in the city, where the police stations were and how to hide away and keep silent even in the worst conditions. All because her life was on the line. No shame in admitting that, not when she already died once.-_

The schools also taught them how to run, how to get away, what to do when in a hostage situation and even how to talk your way through getting hurt or buy time for help to come. Showed them and made them memorize all the emergency numbers and what to say or do while calling for help. It might look fine, but the city is a dangerous place no matter where you are or where you live. No matter if it is day or night, although night is considerable more dangerous than day. Sure, some neighborhoods are worse than others, but truly, anything can happen in the city. St. Canard is not a safe city, but Regina will admit to it being home.

It just shows how insane she is, loving how chaotic St. Canard was even though she feared many things about the city. The makings of a abusive relationship right there, yet it is much like Gotham City in the Batman comics that she used to read. Although crime filled, when you are born into the city and grow up in it, there are a few ways it can go from there. Either you live and die there, because it is your home no matter how filthy it is, or you leave as soon as you are old enough and have the connections or money to do so.

Regina could admit to being the first; St. Canard was home and it shaped her in ways that even her last life couldn't. Still doesn't change the fact that if QuackerJack, Megavolt and the Liquidator come storming in, Regina knows it is either time to get away as fast as she can or hide out of sight and make a plan to get away. Really, she is lucky that Negaduck hasn't popped up yet. It would have been deadly trying to get her brother than if Negaduck has gotten his hands on him. Truly, Regina hopes that as this is so different from the cartoons that she recalls, that he doesn't show up at all, or at the least, not any time soon.

"Those....are very specific descriptions." Huey eventually stated, looking Regina up and down.

"It's almost like they're real people!" Dewy agreed, not getting that they are real people. Louie face palmed at this while Webby gasped in realization on just who Regina was talking about.

"You're talking about those big time criminals in St. Canard!" Webby rubbed her chin in thought. "What were their names again?"

"QuackerJack, Megavolt, and The Liquidator." Regina told to the other ducklings. Face stern and firm as she want on. "They are within the top five most wanted criminals in St. Canard, although I am not sure about where they stand internationally. Dr. Slug is the number one most wanted right now, with Megavolt following close behind him. If you see any of them, run. _Run and hide_." Regina sighed, face softening a bit but eyes stayed hard as she looked at the fearful and shocked ducklings in front of her. They were just children, both physically and mentally. It was hard to think about a time where she didn't have worries like a child should. 

"They are mainly in St. Canard, and have never left the city once, but that could change. They are insane after all. I wouldn't be shocked if they got board and came over here for whatever reason. So, if you see them, do not play hero. Run, hide, get help, do whatever to get away as quick as you can without gaining their attention." Regina lectured lightly, just as her teachers in school did. Stern and firm, but soft and gentle at the same time. It was a good way to let them know that she was serious, yet not frightening them into becoming hermits for the rest of their lives.

All of the other ducklings quickly nodded with a gulp, realizing for the first time just how different their cities were and how much dangerous a place could get. It gave a new meaning to "sketchy neighborhood", and made them look around them with new eyes, knowing that it could be way worse. Regina lived in place filled with actual super powered villains, has most likely seen things that are normal for her even if they never would be for their city or them, it wasn't too shocking that she didn't fear the place around them. Why would she, when she shared a city filled with people who are known murders or worse?

"Well...." Webby glanced around, then smiled despite the tense air around them. "Bet it's a faster run. Race ya!" With that, she started to jog down the sidewalk. Effectively killing the tense mood, and making it lighter.

Huey rolled his eyes with a sigh, before calling down the side walk. "Wrong way."

"Whoop!" Webby quickly turned around, running the other way and past the other ducklings.

With a slight shrug, Regina started to lightly jog after Webby, with Louie, Dewy and Huey right behind her.

Unknown to them all, once they turned the corner and went down a new sidewalk, they gained the attention of some unsavory criminals looking for their next big pay day.

**_-Across The Street-_ **

Three male dog anthros - _one tall and buff, one skinny and middle height, and one short and stocky. All wore a red shirt with a "B" on it and a green hat. Their fur a tan color and shade._ \- stood by a opened armored truck. In between the dog anthros, was a grey bird anthro in a uniform, said bird was tied up tightly with some rope. The buff one, Bouncer, noticed the kids running by.

"Hey, isn't tha' the McDuck brats?" Bouncer asked aloud, watching them run by. "Looks like they have a new friend."

"Let's get them!" The short and stout one, Bigtime, hit a fist in the palm of his other hand, a wide grin coming alive.

"Uh-uh." The skinny one, Burger, shook his head, watching the kids slowly get out of sight.

"Burger's right." Bouncer looked to his smallest brother, a frown on his face, before he looked to the armored truck. "Ma told us we's only supposed to take down the truck."

"Forget the truck!" Bigtime pointed to in the direction the kids had ran down. "That's the payday." He then smirked, pointing to his head. "Think big."

The frown on Bouncer's face turned into a sharp grin, eyes lightening up.

Turning around, Bouncer lifted up the bird anthro so that they were face to face.

"Sorry, Carl." Bouncer genuinely apologized before grinning devilishly. "Same time next month?"

Carl just nodded in reply, face weary. Seeing this, Bouncer then threw Carl into the back of the armored truck, making Carl squawk in pain. Wasting no time, Bouncer then closed the doors, leaving Carl in the dark, tied up, and with little to no way out.

Just another day when the Beagle Boys were around, that much Carl knew.

**_-With The Ducklings, Funso's Funzone-_ **

Regina blankly looked up at the building in front of her, the triplets cheering as they ran up it, Dewy knocking into Huey making them fall as he couldn't stop himself in time. Webby stood by her, also looking up at the restaurant/play area, only awe was on her face were as Regina had nothing on her's.

_'This....reminds me of Chuck E. Cheese's.'_ Regina wearily looked at the huge walrus on the building, the teeth lining the door. _'Only slightly more creepy.'_

Sure, while the mouse wasn't the best mascot - _why would they think a mouse was the best for a pizza place? Wasn't mouses and rats a bad thing to have in a eating place or any establishment that was used for play and eating? Maybe they were trying to copy off Mickey Mouse?_ \- it was better looking than the walrus in her mind. But, really, the animatronics were the creepy part from what she could remember from Chuck E. Cheese's. Lifeless, yet moving and singing. And then those horror games that came out based on animatronics came out, just making the whole thing worse. Here's hoping that nothing electronic comes alive or that this place just didn't have them at all.

"Funso's Funzone." Webby read aloud in awe, watching the building shine in the light.

Dewy dropped down on his back, waving his arms about. Huey lifted a arm and Louie raised both arms. "Where fun is in the zone~" All three sang before going off, Huey grabbing Dewy's legs and dragging him off behind him.

Webby quickly ran in after them, Regina jogging behind her.

Quickly going in, both Webby and Regina stopped by Louie, who was watching their reactions with a slight smirk.

After making sure she could see all the exit signs - _because, yes, Regina isn't chancing crap_ \- Regina looked at the place in front of her. Everything seemed to be split into threes. A big play area in the middle, a arcade to the right and a eating area to the left. Not bad, but it seemed so separated. Just having the parents stand around seemed like a bad idea as they could get aggravated. Usually the seats to eat where in sight of the play areas, making it easier to everyone and catering to the teens and adults. Surly the parents shouldn't just let their kids out of sight for anything-

_'Duckburg. This is Duckburg.'_ Regina reminded herself with a sigh, relaxing a bit. _'Not St. Canard or my past life.'_ With that in mind, Regina glanced around with slight interest.

"Pizza?" Webby questioned aloud, looking at the pizza area. Then, she went down the line, sound more exited than the last. "Games? A pit of balls?!"

Regina snorted when she glanced to said pit of balls. A Mother just put their kid into said pit, and the kid sunk down so low that Regina could only say it was possible due to cartoon physics and logic. And with the signs next to the pit of balls saying "WORLD'S DEEPEST PIT" and "PLEASE ATTEND YOUR CHILDREN", Regina could see the pit going down very far.

So much so, that Regina honestly wanted to get in it and find out just how deep it goes. For science that is.

Both Regina and Webby made to go to the pit of balls, but Louie reached out and grabbed onto their backpacks, stopping them.

"Sweet Webbigail and sweet Regina, ball pits are for babies." Louie put his arms around both girls's shoulders, making Regina raise a brow. The adult like duckling wondered just where the green wearing duckling was going with this. Webby, meanwhile, went wide eyed, glancing to the ball pit before looking straight once Louie started to lead the girls forward. "Walk with me."

Louie let the both go as soon as they walked into what was called the "Pizza Pier". Glancing around, Regina could admit it looked like a slandered restaurant/play area, and she could see why the ares were separated now. The outside didn't look that big, but inside is larger. It made sense to separate them all to make it easier on the workers and make sure that no where is too crowded. But, that didn't mean the pizza area needed to be fenced in so that no one could see the play area. The arcade, yeah, she could understand. But not the other areas.

_'Maybe I could build my own restaurant when I am older?'_ Regina mentally snorted at the thought.

"You're in the zone now." Louie started to explain to the two girls. "If you wanna get by in this world, you gotta know the people who make it spin."

Brows raised in surprise, Regina couldn't help but think on how this duckling was pretty much talking about social ladder climbing, politics and making connections for later uses....but was using a pizza place as his example and most likely having no idea just how those words can be used. But, she supposed, that everyone has to start somewhere.

When a teen or young adult female dog anthro walked by them, Louie turned and stopped.

"Josie, new token apron?" Louie asked, winking with a thumbs up. "Nice!"

Josie giggled, reaching into her apron to pull out a bag. Coins clicked as she handed it off to Luoie, then she went off with a smile and a wave. After that happened, a teen pig male anthro stepped up, gesturing to a small boardwalk that lead up to the employees area. A table with three chairs by the drink machine stood by the edge.

"Your usual table, sir." The pig anthro said blandly.

"Merci, Toby." Louie thanked, handing off some coins to the teen. Said teen looked at the change with a frown as he walked off.

Walking up the small boardwalk, Louie sat on one side of the circular table, Webby on the other, and Regina took the spot in between the two, the seat closer to the edge. Taking off their backpacks, Webby went to grab some money while Regina sat her backpack in her lap. The brown haired duckling wanted to see the menu before she even thought about bringing out her money.

A teen, female bird walked up. She was lightly brown with darker hair, a red yellow hat, and had on the uniform. With the red platter and cup on the said platter, it was obvious she was a waitress.

Webby finally pulled out a few bills, which Louie noticed.

"Webby, Regina, your money is no good here." Louie said with a comical sage like voice, eyes closed and shaking his finger at her as if he was scolding them both.

"What do they take?" Webby asked, putting the dollar bills back into her backpack, starting to dig around to see what else she had. "I have pounds, pesos, rubles." Webby listed off as she looked around her backpack.

"Is it because I'm from St. Canard?" Regina couldn't help but ask aloud, laughing almost insanely in her head. She just made a low-key racist joke in what was once a kids cartoon. Wasn't her fault that Louie's words could be take the wrong way. "I don't see the issue with Webby's money if that is the case...."

Although, in all honesty, she could see that happening later on because of who her brother is. If only for the fact that she knows not everyone will believe her Grandfather and or will see Reginald as a freak for how he looks. Because of their relation, Regina can see some not so nice times in her future. She doesn't mind though, her brother is worth it.

"What? No!" Louie quickly shook his head at Regina, eyes fully opened as he looked at her with wide eyes. "That's not what I meant!"

"Ah, I'm glad." Regina smiled in relief, hiding the laughter in her eyes. "I know St. Canard isn't the nicest of cities, making others view St. Canadians in a bad light, and I did hear about rivalries that had gone too far before on the news between citizens. Thanks for clearing that up."

All true too, even if it is misleading. More than one fight has happened at sport games between the cities with a lot of unkind words being thrown around about their respective cities. That's not counting the actual fights - _that usually end with someone in the hospital or dead_ \- between citizens that have happened before in history and now; The whole truth and not at all misleading.

Sighing, Louie relaxed and turned to Webby. "It's the oldest currency in the world." He told the pink bow wearing girl.

"Ancient obsidian rune stones?" Webby asked without missing a beat.

"I don't think they would have much business then." Regina pointed out to Webby, glancing to all the teens, kids and adults. "Or, any at all. It's not like that kind of currency grows on trees or is something that people carrying around just because."

"Hm, I see your point." Webby hummed with a nod in agreement. "Then, what could it be?"

"Well, the pound sterling is the oldest currency still in use. Although, it would be hard to find in America." Regina couldn't help but smile as she told the other duckling. Even with Louie's growing frown, Regina couldn't help but egg Webby on a bit. It was like a guessing game, and it was the first time Regina got to play this kind of game with another around her age.

"Yeah, but Louie said that it wasn't pounds. And I do have some in my backpack." Webby frowned, thinking hard on it. "Maybe the Fleur de Coin?"

"If it was that, I better be getting the whole business, building, land and workers, as well as the owners being in debt to me for years to come. So much so that their great-great-great children will be in debt to me and my family, because that coin is worth more than a single pizza and drink." Regina shook her head at the though of using one of the oldest coins, if not the first coin ever made, in the world to buy pizza. It would be a cartoony thing to do, but she had too much common sense to do that. "Besides, no one would be here if that was the case."

"Your right....maybe-" Webby was about to offer another option, but Louie cut them off.

"No, no!" Louie shook his head in negative, waving his arms to single them to stop. Once he had their attention, Louie lifted a finger. "It's flattery!"

"Ahem." Louie cleared his throat before putting his head in his hands, leaning on the table with his elbows as he he turned to look up at the waitress with a smile. "I can't tell. Is that the heat lamps or your natural glow?"

"Oh, Mr. Duck," The teen smiled, looking amused and flattered. "the usual?"

"Yep!" Louie sat up, leaning back on his chair and folded his hands together on top of the table. "One free cup for water, please."

The teen gave the empty cup to the Duckling, walking away with a slight smirk. Then, Louie turned around in his chair to use the drink dispenser, filling up the cup with punch instead of water.

"That's not water!" Webby yelled in a whisper, eyes small dots as she looked scandalized at the cup in question.

"It's all apart of the system." Louie leaned back on his chair, drinking from his cup. "You try."

"I wouldn't recommend that." Regina cut in before Webby could get up.

"Why's that?" Louie asked with a brow raised. "Don't think she can do it?"

"You have built up a reputation with the workers, have been coming here for a while it seems, and already have a system worked out for yourself. The workers like and trust you to a point, as they would get in trouble for doing this if they get caught. Maybe even fired." Regina leaned forward on the table, focusing on Louie. "It takes time to get to the point where you are at; Where workers give you coins, let you eat where you are not supposed to, and give you freebies with a smile." Regina hummed, glancing to Webby out of the corner of her eye. "While a fast, smooth talker has a chance to do it within a short amount of time, Webby is new to all this from what I can see. You just pushing her out there would be like pushing a person who doesn't know how to swim in the deep end. Sink or swim style of teaching."

"Well, what else is she supposed to do?" Louie asked with a raised brow. "Sink or swim is the only way to go about this. How else is she going to learn about the system? How to make it turn around in her favor?"

"How about trying and practicing on friends and or family before slowly working her way up to establishments that could kick us out at the slightest manipulation on our part?" Regina asked right back without even pausing.

"Dewy and Huey would go too easy on her, even if she messed up. They wouldn't take it seriously enough." Louie protested with a frown, thinking about it. "But, I can see your point on it being too high stakes on the first try..."

Webby watched the two, eyes going back and forth between them as they talked. it...it reminded her of two parents arguing about their kid's schooling or how to raise their kid. While flattered that they cared about her so much, especially Regina as they have just met today, Webby, while very nervous, wanted to give it a go. This was a challenge! A new type of adventure!

Feeling pumped up, Webby hopped off her chair, making Louie and Regina stop in mid-talking to look at her.

"I-I'm going in!" Webby clinched her first, eyes burning with nerves and determination.

Both Regina and Louie blankly watched Webby walk up to the teen.

"I'm just going to say this now." Regina glanced to Louie, who was watching Webby with focused eyes even though his stance was lazy. "I don't see this going or ending well. Not because Webby isn't nice or likable, but...."

Louie watched Webby talk to the teen, Jane, and seeing Jane looking more worried and awkward as more time goes on. Sighing, Louie face palmed at the train wreak not too far from him. Rubbing his face and couldn't help but groan, conceding to Regina's point. "I see that now."

And, because things couldn't get even better, a young adult, male pig anthro walked out of the Employees room. Seeing the tag on the pig, it wasn't hard to see he was the manager of the place. And from his angry face, he had heard every word that Webby had said.

"There a problem here?" The Manager asked with a deep frown, glaring down at the two females in front of him.

Not wanting Webby to making anything worse, Louie moved on top of the table, shaking his head and ran a finger across his throat, to show her to abort the mission. How he didn't see that being taken the wrong way, Regina didn't know.

Regina had to hold herself back from laughing, eyes going wide when she saw Webby pull out a red spork from out of nowhere, holding it as if it was a knife, and glanced to the manager and to them, waiting to see what they wanted her to do.

Louie hurriedly waved his hands in negative, accidentally gaining the attention of the manager.

The Manger turned and quickly zoned in on the cup that Louie filled with punch. With a scowl, the pig turned to look at Jane. "What did I tell you about handing out freebies, Jane?" Pointing for her to go, Jane did with her head down.

With Jane gone, The Manager turned back to the table. More importantly, focusing in on Louie, who was still kneeling on the table. "You pay for that punch, Duck?" It sounded like a question, but Louie and Regina both knew it wasn't.

But, before Louie could do or say anything, Regina spoke up.

"We will." Regina agreed with a nod, eyes hardening as they stared up at the manager. "After we get our menus, order our food, eat said food, and get the bill of course. Unless you are telling me that we have to pay a certain amount of money before we can eat anything like a all-you-can-eat buffet?" Regina raised a brown, unimpressed with the very thought. "If that is the case, then I would like to know just what I am paying for before anything else as I did not see any kind of sign telling me about paying first before ordering, outside or inside."

Louie's mouth was on the floor while the Manager spluttered, face red in embarrassment and anger.

"Well? My answers?" Regina looked calm, putting her elbows on the table and leaning on her folded together hands. "Oh, I see. Is this a scam or something? Maybe harassment of minors? A hate crime of some kind?"

There was a threat in her sky blue eyes, telling the manager that she could spin this situation in many different ways, and come up on top on anyone. She might be taking this too far, but hell would overtake the heavens before she gets pushed around by someone else. Cypress and Lily might have forced her to bend to adults's whims, but with them gone now, Regina would not hold back unless there was a good reason for her to. Besides, it is her right as a customer to demand these answers as she should be paying after getting the meal unless it was stated before hand that she had to pay before getting anything.

"Y-you-!" The Manager growled lowly, face reddening at the fact that a child was threatening him. Then, he shook his head and stopped himself before he could make things worse. "Of course, Miss. I must ask you to move tables though, as this is the Employees only table."

"That's fair." Regina agreed, grabbing her backpack and sliding off the chair. Glancing up to Louie, she raised a brow in question. "Are you coming?"

"Y-Yeah!" Louie quickly got off the table, making sure to grab his drink. The Manager started to lead the two of them to the other tables.

When he passed Webby, he couldn't help but give her an annoyed look. "Thanks, Webby." He muttered as they passed her.

But, it wasn't her fault. Regina was right. Pushing Webby into the deep end, expecting her to get it right on her first try, wasn't right.

Although, Louie felt a bit uneven around the new duckling now. Even more than before. Regina told off a adult, someone older than her and in a higher position than her, like it was nothing. Admirable, that much Louie could admit to. It was a bit awe inspiring watching her twist the conversation in her favor with no effort on her part. The thing that mostly tripped him up though, is that she doesn't sound like a kid.

Regina talks like a adult. She acts like a mini adult. It wasn't right and left him wondering why this was and how to even talk to her.

_'She's....'_ Louie glanced to the duckling on his mind. She was looking straight ahead, eyes focused and walking tall and proud. It was like watching a short adult on a mission walking by. He couldn't help but feel so.... _little_ next to her for whatever reason.

_"Weird."_

Louie never noticed how Regina's smile fell down a fraction, eyes going hard.

**_-McDuck Manor-_ **

"Special delivery for D. Duck!"

Beakley could only watch with wide eyes after she had opened the door to find a mountain of portable generators in front of the door.

"Come around back!"

Beakley's eyes honed in on the duck who just called out. Not too far from the stoop was Donald, watching workers roll the generators to the back like ordered.

Donald feeling the stare, turned around with a smile. He pointed to the workers behind him. "Portable generators." He proudly explained, waving his hands in a dismissive manner. "Keep your power Mrs. B; I'm off the grid!"

"That idiot is going to get himself killed." Beakley said to herself as she turned around. Thinking on that for a moment, she shrugged with a smile. If he dies, oh well. It wasn't her fault.

"U-Umm..."

Quickly turning her head around, she was surprised to see a shivering duck-plant hybrid. "Yes, Dr. Bushroot?"

"O-Oh! P-Please call me R-Reginald." Reginald quickly stuttered out, trying to calm himself. "I..I w-was wondering if...if it is okay for me to u-use the k-kitchen?"

"Ah, I suppose you may. I do not see any issue with using the kitchen when you want if you are staying for a while." Beakley allowed, feeling pleased at least one adult staying in her house had common decency. Then, she recalled who she was talking to. A scientist who either experimented on himself or said experiment went wrong. In either case, it is not a good one.

"Do you know how to cook?" She asked, fearing for a moment he wanted the kitchen for a experiment.

"Y-Yes!" Reginald hurried to assure the taller and buffer duck, a shaky smile on his face. "I-I've been cooking alone since I was f-four. I-I know how t-to work in it fine, and the rules are not too different from working in a lab."

With that, the scientist hurried past the frozen housekeeper.

_-"I-I've been cooking alone since I was f-four."-_

Beakley watched the hybrid all but run to the kitchen, a worried frown on her face.

**_-Funso's Funzone-_ **

"-and then all my high scores were gone!" Dewy wildly gestured with his hands, annoyed and frustrated where he sat.

Regina silently sipped her drink - a cup of milk. After sitting down with Louie, they were given menus, and she had only ordered milk, not feeling very hungry at the moment. Paying just for the drinks, stating that is all she wanted, Regina and Louie just sat there in silence.

It felt awkward on Louie's end. On Regina's end, she is used to it. Not many kids wanted to talk to her or be around her.

After a while, the two older brothers of Louie came up and sat with them at the picnic like table. It didn't even take a second for Dewy to launch into the story of Webby accidentally erasing his high scores from his favorite game. Apparently the guy in the mascot custom had grabbed her, and then she had reacted, knocking him down to where he had tripped over the wires and plugs. Thus, unplugging Dewy's game and clearing all the memory off of it. Dewy, according to Huey, then started dramatically talking to the machine as if he life was over. Causing a lot of other people to stare and come over to see what the problem was. So, the older brother decided to drag him here, away from the arcade game, to calm him down for a bit.

"Why did she have to overreact like that?" Huey sighed, rubbing his forehead. His brothers agreeing with him.

Regina, on the other hand, frowned at this.

"But, she didn't overreact." Regina looked to the three, sitting her cup down. "A grown adult, a stranger at that, laid his hand on her without her consent and out of nowhere - when she was in the middle of playing a game even." Regain raised a brow, humming once a thought hit her. "Why did he grab her anyway? Workers and mascots are not allowed to just touch a kid like that; It could lead to misunderstandings, sketchy situations, and getting sued. Sure, the kid themselves can hug the mascot, but not the other way around. Unless it is a emergency, they can't just walk up to a kid and touch them, not even to pat their head much less grab their shoulder and get in their space." Eventually she shrugged at the looks she was getting.

"Well, when you put it like that...." Huey sighed as he glanced to the floor, a frown on his face as he started to view the whole thing in a new light.

"Yeah, why did he touch her?" Louie asked Dewy, sipping his punch. "Did she do something wrong? Break someone's arm or....?" The green clad duckling trailed off, waiting for his brother to fill in the blank.

Dewy frowned in thought, trying to think back. "Um....no." Dewy's eyes widened at the realization. "Webby didn't do anything bad or wrong. She was just playing the game, like I was."

"There you go." Regina said, tipping her head. "A strange adult male in a custom - meaning that his identity is hidden from sight - grabbed a hold of a underage female duck, a duckling, with no other adults around and without her consent, out of nowhere and with no real reason in sight." Regina gave a smile while the three boys paled at her words. "Sounds like a basic kidnapping, at least, and Webby had enough common sense to react to a stranger grabbing onto her no matter where she is. Kidnappings and worse happen everywhere, you know?"

"How can you smile saying that!" Louie snapped, making Regina loose her smile for a moment. Then, she gained it back, looking straight at Louie.

_'How can I say such things? Because I know more than any of you that these things go on, yet life goes on as well. Horrible things happen. Death happens - as well as rebirth apparently. I smile, because if I don't, then I will be crying just thinking about all of this. Life is cruel, life is not kind nor patient. The proof is all around us. I am wrong, I am not right. I am not sane, I am not insane. I am something yet I am nothing. I smile because if I don't, then what's the point? A smile can express so much after all. Maybe....I am showing the wrong type of smile? But, in the end, it's all boiled down to one fact for the reason that I smile while saying such things... I smile-'_

"Because I'm _weird_." Regina's eyes drilled into Louie's, smile soft and gentle but eyes hard and unrelenting.

All three boys flinched back as if hit. It was simple to see that Regina either figured out their thoughts on her, or even heard the youngest state his thoughts out loud. Regina just gulped down the rest of her milk, sat down the cup and then got up from her seat.

"I'm going to go look for Webby." The duckling announced, not even looking at the triplets as she walked off.

".....Louie." Louie slowly turned his head to see Huey frowning at him. Gulping, Louie glanced to the side to see Dewy watching Regina walk away with a worried look on his face.

There were no words needed, not really. Louie sighed, looking down at the table. "I know."

**_-McDuck Manor; With Beakley-_ **

Pouring some nice warm tea into the tea cup, Beakley stood in between the staircases, looking out the window that showed the pool. Sipping, she watched as Donald set up the generators, put gasoline in them, and then turned them all on.

The buff duck watched as the generators shook the boat, making the gasoline fall into the water. Donald tried to save them, only to knock down one of the generators into the soiled water. Needless to say, a fire started. The sailor tired to put it out with more water from the pool, but seemed to forget that it was all tainted by gasoline now. Therefore, the fire just grew.

Taking another sip, Beakley listened to the muffled screams of Donald Duck with nothing but calmness. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Scrooge walking down one set of stairs, eyes closed and not looking as if his first attempted at a bath was ruined by the fact that everything flooded.

"Perhaps we would put your nephew up in a hotel; In New Zealand." Beakley offered, only to go wide eyed when Scrooge just kept walking, going up the other set of stairs.

"No time, guest baths are callin'." Scrooge turned around with a grin before heading up the other flight of stairs. "Beakley's problem!"

Beakley slumped, groaning as if in great pain.

Not wanting to look at Donald failing at putting out the fire anymore, she lifted the tray with the tea on it, heading off to the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, she froze once more.

There was Dr. Reginald Bushroot baking up some cake, humming and in a fluffy purple apron. But what confused her were the ingredients all around him; Vegetables, savory spices and such.

"O-Oh!" Reginald looked up, finally noticing her. He flushed, nervously fluttering as if doing something wrong. "I-I just wanted to m-make Regina a-a nice t-treat for when s-she gets back is all! She doesn't have much of a s-sweet tooth, but s-savory cakes a-are one of her favorites!"

"It's fine." Beakley cut off the doctors stuttering. "You had asked permission to use the kitchen, and I gave it."

Reginald sighed in relief, only to go back to fidgeting when Beakley walked up, sat down the tray she had been holding, and tried the batter for herself.

"Hmmm...This isn't half bad." Beakley hummed at the savory flavor hitting her taste buds. There was just enough sugar in it to make it a cake, but not enough for it to be sweet. A nice balance. "If you don't mind me asking, where did you get this recipe?"

"I-I created it..." Reginald softly admitted, shaking slightly at the attention he was getting. "A-After I found o-out that R-Regina d-didn't like very s-sweet things, I-I c-created this a-as a t-treat for her."

'He created a whole recipe just for his sister?' Beakley glanced down to the shivering duck-plant hybrid. 'For someone who is involved in something dangerous, he is a good big brother, if nothing else.'

"Well, don't let me stop you." Beakley then went off to get lunch ready, letting Reginald get back to his baking. "Take all the time you need."

Shifting, Reginald went back to cutting the vegetables, wincing as if cutting himself. He could hear nothing from these vegetables, could feel nothing, but it still didn't stop the fact that he felt connected to them. Some vegetables, he found, want to be eaten as if it is their life goal. Others cry and beg for mercy, not wanting to die. It's so easy to tell which veggies are raised on farms or in the in the wild when you can hear plant life like he can now.

Yet, Reginald already killed two ducks. Killing other vegetables would just make a full circle for him.

He's hands are stained now, they can't get any dirtier even if he tried.

**_-Arcade Area-_ **

Regina glanced around as soon as she stepped into the arcade area, eyes searching for a pink bow. It didn't take long to find her. Webby was standing off in the corner, fiddling with her fingers and looking down at the ground. Obviously down in the dumps about what has happened throughout the day. Taking in the sight before her, Regina sighed before making her way over to the downtrodden duckling.

"Ah, there you are."

Webby jumped a bit in surpise, jolting around to find Regina was the one behind her. Relaxing, Webby was honestly impressed that the other duckling could sneak up on her like that. She figured that Regina must be light on her feet to be able to do that.

_-Unknown to Webby, Regina taught herself to be quiet, to walk silently like a shadow. For her own safety and for her brother's as well.-_

"Webby, do you want to check out the prizes with me?" Regina asked softly, holding out her hand for the saddened duckling to take. "Maybe we can find something that is worth getting tickets for?"

"I....I don't think that's a good idea..." Webby muttered, glancing away from the duckling in front of her. "I'll just ruin everything."

"Ruin looking at prizes?" Regina snorted at the very thought, a slight smirk working it's way up on her beak. "If you can make looking at items I may never be able to win more interesting, then I will be very impressed."

In fact, Regina can see the prizes from where she is standing right now. Or, at least, the ones high up on the wall. And there was a kid sized messenger bag that caught her eye. It seemed to be light brown with flowers painted on it, or embroidered on it. It was hard to tell with how far away they were from the prize table. So, if Webby can make it so that she could get the bag through some crazy hijinks, Regain wouldn't be complaining at all.

"Y-You don't understand!" Webby sadly frowned, eyes watering a bit. "I....I don't want them to think I'm weird! I'm trying really hard to be normal, and it's not working." Webby sniffed, tugging at her own shirt in frustration. "You probably don't understand that being the weird girl or not having friends, but..."

"What makes you think I don't?" Regina frowned in confusion at this, offered hand falling down at the sudden accusation. "Webby, I'm going to be honest with you, I don't have any friends."

"Hm? B-But you're so smart and kind!" Webby gasped out in astonishment, eyes flying up and going wide to look at the other duckling.

"Kind, huh?" Regina whispered before shaking her head, speaking up. "Webby, I am smarter than the average duckling, the average child. I speak like a adult and can come off as smug or high and mighty because of this. Most other kids around or near my age, even teenagers, don't like me for many reasons. Most adults either ignore me or feel threatened because of how I act and how I am." 

Regina could still recall her kindergarten teacher, and how she told Regina off for telling her to do her job when Regina offered up a alternative punishment for one of the girls who bullied her. Said girl still tries bullying Regina in fact. Regina has no friends to call her own, only having her Brother - _and he's family, not a friend. Other children either bully her_ \- try to at least, Regina is mentally too old for such things - or outright ignore her existence.

While it gave her so much time to study, the reincarnated duckling could admit to being lonely at times. Yet, for someone who was not supposed to be born, it could be worse, that much Regina knows.

"I don't know how to be a kid." Regina admitted, not saying how much of that is true. "I am weird. And do you want to know something, Webby?"

"Y-Yes!" Webby stood straight at the intense look Regina was giving her.

"All the best people are weird." Regina stated this certainly, eyes focused as she thought back to her last life, and to the characters in this life. "Sure, there are the dangerously weird, but all the best world's thinkers are thought to be weird at one point in their life. Almost every inventor was thought to be insane and weird for wanting to create what they did. Revolutions are lead by those weird individuals as well. I'm sure that Scrooge McDuck was thought to be weird as well, if not still to this day." Regina gave a slight chuckle as she realized something. "I know for sure my Brother and Grandfather are thought to be weird, but look at them. My Grandfather is officially the third richest duck in the world, and my Brother has many different prizes, theories, and medals to his name. Normal is a social standard that changes with time or when it is convenient."

As Regina talked, Webby's eyes got wider and wider. The duckling never thought about it like that. Free thinkers, especially in the past, were thought to be either insane or weirdos by others. It also hit Webby just how much Regina was similar to her. Both female ducklings were viewed as weird by others for being more, for being different than them.

Webby, herself, was too strong and knew and loved things that other little girls would not or balk at knowing.

Regina, the duckling trying to comfort her, was too smart and came across too strong to others for not backing down at who she is.

Both ducklings were thought to be weird....but is that a bad thing?

Webby still didn't know the answer to that. But, what she did know, is that others are missing out on seeing how much of a good friend Regina is.

"So, Webby?Who needs to be normal? We can go be weird together." Webby blinked, focusing on Regina who once more held her hand out. "Want to go be weird together and check out the prize table? Or how about we go check out the ball pit? I saw one other child fall in it and keep going, not stopping. The pit must be a trap of some kind, but I want to know just how deep it goes." The brown haired duckling chuckled.

"Y-yeah! Lets go see the prizes! And then we can go check out the big pit of balls!" Webby finally said, smiling brightly and taking Regina's hand. With that, both sucklings walked off to go see the prizes.

**_-Outside The Arcade Area-_ **

"We just made two lonely ducklings feel lesser because of how they act." Huey blankly said aloud, eyes having a far away look. "I....did we become _bullies_?!"

"Oh man, we're jerks." Louie groaned out, leaning on the wall near the arcade entrance. "Total jerks."

"Hey, it's not the end of the world!" Dewy quickly told his brothers, trying to smile. "We just have to make it up to them!"

"And how are we going to do that?" Louie asked with a scowl. The hoodie wearing duckling gestured to the arcade. "Seems like they're having a fun time without use. What's the point?"

"We have to say sorry to them at least." Huey cut in before his younger brothers could start a fight. The younger siblings turned to look at their oldest brother. Huey sighed, rubbing his face. "Junior Woodchuck's do not bully others, do make others feel like they do not belong. I am a failure to the Woodchuck name!"

"No, it wasn't you!" Louie hurried to assure Huey, Dewy coming up to pat his red clad brother's back. "It's my fault." Louie admitted, putting his hands in his pockets and slouching, glancing off to the side in regret. "I....I...I should have been nicer." Louie sighed harshly. "I...I just didn't know how to act around Regina. I just don't _get_ her, you know? What makes someone act like her? Like a adult? Isn't she our age?"

"A lot of things can make someone mentally age faster, or force someone to grow up sooner rather than later. Studies show that it is usually abus-" Huey started to automatically answer before paling, beak snapping shut as he realized what he just said - and how much it fit.

Yet, before he could say or think on it more, a large shadow covered all three brothers.

All three brothers turned with a gasp, eye going wide as they were suddenly grabbed. Before they could even scream, hands grabbed their beaks, stopping them from making any noise.

"Just need to nab the other two, and then we can call Ma!"

**_-Ten Minutes Later-_ **

Regina lightly pouted as she and Webby left the arcade area.

"Five hundred tickets is too much for just one messenger bag." Regina sighed just thinking about it. "It's not even that big or a brand name bag."

"I could steal it." Webby offered, making Regina smile and laugh.

"No, there's no need for that." Regina chuckled out, Webby smiling at the fact that she was having fun with a friend.

While distracted, both Regina and Webby gasped when hands grabbed them, yanking them out of sight of others.

"What in the world-!?" Regina growled, struggling with all her might. The person holding her grunted in pain, trying to get her to stop only to get kicked for it by Regina. "Who do you think you are!?"

Webby, meanwhile, struggled as the hands started to tie her up. She knew she could waste energy fighting the unknown, yet she couldn't stay still while she and Regina were being taken.

Eventually, both were able to turn their heads to see who had grabbed them, and Webby gave a horrified gasp at the sight of who they were.

A short dog held Regina, a buff dog was the one tying up Webby. Regina's eyes narrowed at the "B" on their red shirts, having a feeling she had seen it before-

"Beagle Boys!" Webby tried to scream out, only for the buff dog to muffle it with his hand.

_'Oh, nearly forgot about them.'_ Regina felt like she was having a out of body experience right now. Being kidnapped in Duckburg was just so....

_Hilarious._

Regina honestly thought that she would be kidnapped in St. Canard first. That some villain or someone that hated her brother would take her. That she just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. In school, Duckburg was called the 'Safe City', while St. Canard was the dangerous city, the dirty city. The irony is not lost on Regina about her getting in trouble in this city rather than the one she was born in. The irony that the city that didn't hold super powered villains was the one that popped her cherry on being kidnapped.

But while hilarious, it also _angered_ her unlike anything else could.

How dare these idiots, these...these _dumb dogs_ dare try to take her? Regina had too many things to do, too many plans that needed to be completed. Her Brother's life and sanity was on the line. Her Grandfather's reputation was on the line. Her own sanity was on the line! If something were to happen to her, Regina knows that it will go down hill for Reginald. And that wasn't her ego talking. If anything where to happen to her, it would be blamed on her brother by the ones that birthed them and she knows that the public would fry Reginald alive for any reason, just because of how he looks.

So, Regina fought. Struggled. Kicked. Hit. Bit. Tried to make as much noise as she could while she was dragged into the back of the restaurant through the shadows. Fire coursed through her, ice cold fire that made her blood boil and freeze at the same time. She refused to just give in, not with how much was on the line for her family. But, if she was....then, she'll make sure that she does enough damage for them to regret it or do them in herself instead of the other way around.

If Regina was going down, she sure as hell is taking as many as she can down with her.

**_-Meat Locker, Few Minutes Later-_ **

"Webby!" The triplets cried out once a buff dog came into the meat locker, a tied up Webby in his hold.

Webby grunted when she was tossed to the ground, landing by the tied up triplets. Shifting to shit up, Webby glared up at the bigger dog, eyes scanning the room. She noticed the skinny dog just watching them.

"Wait! Where's Regina?!" Dewy quickly looked around at not seeing the other duckling with Webby, eyes small in fear.

"Well..." Webby started to say, only to stop when the meat locker was opened again, muffled pained howls echoing as the shortest dog came rushing in.

Everyone went wide eyed and jaws went slacked at the sight of the duckling in a sweater, who was finally tied up, kicking, biting and pretty much doing everything and anything to get out of the dog's hold.

"H-hey! Stop that right now!" Bigtime growled, yelping when the duckling just growled back, biting his hand hard enough to draw blood. Having enough, he quickly looked to his brothers. "Don't just stand there, help me!"

It took a few moments, and all three dogs, to take the duckling off the shortest dog.

Regina snarled, eyes flashing as she was thrown to the ground, right by Webby. Quickly moving to sit up, Regina bared her teeth at the three dogs. _"Bad Dogs."_ She growled out, eyes hard, cold as eyes but shinning as if they were blue fire.

All three dogs shivered at the look, but that was set aside when they realized they had caught all of the brats.

"This is it boys! Time to set everything up!" Bigtime cheered, wincing as he moved. He knew he was going to be bruised for a while. Who knew that a little duckling could pack such a kick or bit so hard? "Burger, get that ransom note ready! Bouncer, you get ready to send it!" Bigtime rubbed his hands together as all three walked out of the meat locker. "Then, we call Ma."

Once the door shut, all that was heard was Regina's heavy breathing.

All four ducklings looked at Regina in shock.

"What?" Regina panted out when she noticed them staring, looking back at them nonchalantly. "If I'm going to be kidnapped, I'm going to make them work for it at least." Regina took in a deep breath, panting slowly stopping. But the ice cold fire in her eyes didn't die, it grew. "At most, I'm going to make them regret even _thinking_ about doing this to me."

Webby's eyes sparkled, while the boys gulped in fearful awe.

**_-McDuck Manor, Pool-_ **

Getting knocked out by a brick after putting out a fire that almost overtook his boat was not something that Donald thought would ever happen to him - or at least, not after he stopped adventuring with his Uncle Scrooge.

But, living in the same mansion as his Uncle just spelled trouble. Making sure that trouble would come find him and his boys.

Groaning, Donald slowly got up. Rubbing his head, he looked down to find a piece of paper tied to the note. Blinking, he got the paper and read it.

A moment of silence. Then, it hit the duck just what he was reading and holding.

"UNCLE SCROOGE!" Donald screamed, running as if the devil himself was after him.

The sailor tore through the mansion, gunning for the bathroom that Scrooge was taking a bath in. Skidding to a stop, Donald banged on the door, yelling to get his Uncle's attention. Yet, no one answered.

"SCROOGE! THE KIDS! THE BEAGLE BOYS!"

**_-Inside The Guest Bathroom-_ **

Music playing, warm water, and cucumbers on the eyes made for a wonderful bath. That much Scrooge knew for certain.

"Hmm~" Scrooge sighed in relief, only to shoot back up, frowning. "Wait, something's wrong."

**_-Few Minutes Later-_ **

"That's more like it." Scrooge slumped into the bathtub now filled with gold coins. Gold coins on his eyes now instead of cucumbers.

Adding gold to anything made it better. Scrooge knew that better than anyone.

"Much better~"

**_-With Donald-_ **

Knowing that unless he busted down the door, Donald wasn't going to get Scrooge's attention. And even if he did go that rout, his Uncle would just yell at him first, wasting time and energy that was needed more than ever.

So, he sucked in his pride, and ran for all he was worth to the kitchen.

"Mrs. B! A brick! A note!" Donald tried to explain, skidding to a stop in the kitchen right by Beakley, who was cutting some cucumbers.

Reginald, who was putting the cake he had bake on a cooling rack, turned and started to hesitantly walk over at the urgency in Donald's voice. Fearing that it had either something to do with Regina, his Grandfather, or himself.

Beakley smiled, putting down her knife while she closed her eyes. "Well, look who's finally coming to ask for my-"

"HELP!" Donald yelled, shoving the note in her face. He did not have time for gloating or anything else. Not with the kids in danger.

Beakley's eyes shot open at the yell, frowning as she took the note from Donald. Quickly reading it, her frown grew more sever as she raised a brow in question. "What is a 'Funso'?"

"W-What's going on?"

Both ducks jolted, turning to see sky blue eyes looking at them in nervous worry.

Reginald fidgeted, glancing between the two anxiously. But, before he could say or ask more, Beakley held out the paper for him. Taking it with shaking hands, something inside of him screaming that something is wrong, Reginald read the note.

Beakley and Donald watched as Reginald's eyes went wide and small, his shaking growing and growing as he read faster and faster. Then, it was if they saw something in him breaking. Trembling, the duck-plant hybrid head shot up to look at them, eyes watering and having so many emotions in them.

"I'm a horrible brother...." Was all Reginald could get out, tears falling. "I told her to go."

"It's not your fault." Beakley assured the scientist, face growing stern and firm. "We'll get them back. Reginald, go put on a hat and trench coat. Donald, get the car ready."

"It's past time to go pick up our kids, don't you think?" Mrs. Beakley asked, eyes dark and burning.

**_-Funso's Funzone-_ **

The manager frowned when the front door opened. Turning, he was met with only a adult and no child.

"You can't come in without a child." The pig manager told the older woman, only to get punched right in the gut that sent him straight to the ground, holding his stomach in pain and out of breath.

The older woman stepped into the restaurant, showing her to be a older dog with grey hair, hat with a flower on it, blue beaded necklace, light peach shirt, red jacket, purple skirt with white lace on the bottom, white tights, black shoes, and had a blue, white spotted purse on her.

Ma Beagle was in the place, and she was not happy.

"Everybody out!" Ma called out, slamming a person's face into their meal and tossing a tray into a waitress's face as she walked by. People cowered as she walked by, parents quick to grab and hid their kids.

Finally opening the door to the back, three of her sons were there waiting for her.

"This is it, Ma!" Bigtime grinned, excitement in every word. "The big payday! The perfect scam!"

"Save it." Ma held up a hand, frown on her face before she pointed behind her. "What's so important that I don't see a armored car parked out front." Then, her brows frowned as she took a closer look at Bigtime. There were a ton of bruises, scratched and even bit marks on her son. "And why do you look like you got into a fight with a cat and lost?"

Bigtime lost his smile for a second, but got it back just as quick. Backing up along with his brothers, Bigtime gestured to the meat locker door. "May I present our new meal ticket?" Bigtime imitated a drum roll as his Ma walked by him.

Ma opened the door, brows raising up on her head when she found four ducklings all trying to talk to her, and one duckling glaring for all she was worth up at her. The eyes somehow familiar, although Ma was sure she didn't know anyone with that shade of blue eyes.

"Scrooge's McDuck's family!" Bigtime explained while his Ma closed the door once more. Bigtime then frowned, glancing off to the side. "The brown haired one was harder to tie up, Ma. She just kept hitting and biting, but I eventually got her!"

"Ugh." Ma groaned, turning to face her sons, gesturing to the meat locker door. "And how did you manage this?"

"Well," Bigtime started to explain the whole plan to Ma. "we cornered 'em, captured 'em, and then we sent him a ransom note."

"You did what?" Ma asked, feeling a headache coming on. Rubbing her forehead, she just knew this was not going to end pretty. "How did someone so brilliant raise such morons?" Ma asked herself, wondering where she went wrong.

"I think she's talking about you." Bouncer leaned down, hiding his mouth, and whispered to Burger. Burger just frowned, opening his mouth a bit in shock.

"B-But Scrooge will pay a fortune to get them ankle bitters back!" Bigtime tried to tell Ma, walking up to her.

Ma just looked at him, lifted up her purse, and then hit him on top of the head with it. Letting her purse fall, Ma scowled down at her son. "You think he got to be the richest duck in Duckburg by paying people off?" Ma pointed to the door behind her as she explained, only to jerk her hand down to point at Bigtime, her standing up tall as her voice grew more angered. "You just painted five twerp-size targets on our backs!"

With that, she looked up at her other two sons.

"Bouncer, Burger, go wait outside." She pointed out, and the two went without a word. Rushing to get outside and fearing that she would scold them next.

"What about me, Ma?" Bigtime asked, making his Ma look back down at him.

**_-Inside The Meat Locker-_ **

All five ducks blinked when the door was slammed open, one of the beagle boys flying in, hitting the wall, and sliding down upside down.

"You're on a time out, mister!" Was the only thing said before the door shut once more.

"Who are these guys?" Huey asked, watching as the older dog got up.

"The Beagle Boys." Webby answered, watching as Bigtime walked by her, flinching away from Regina - who snarled at him. "They hate your Uncle. Try to break into the mansion all the time."

"Are they going to ransom us?" Dewy asked next, watching the dog go to the door but not open it.

Louie frowned sadly, starting to shake his head at the very thought. "Scrooge will never pay for all five of us." The duckling in green pointed out.

"You're right." Webby sighed, closing her eyes while everyone looked to her. "They'll probably throw one of us off a cliff to send Scrooge a message." She told them all calmly.

The triplets went wide eyed, yelping and shortly screaming out in fear. Regina however snorted out loud.

"What are you scared of?" Regina frowned, leaning so that she can look at the triplets. "I'm the most likely one that they'll kill off first. I caused damage to one of them, and I am not related to Scrooge." Regina shrugged thinking about it. "If they do me in first, it would show that they have the guts to kill a child, meaning that they can do it to you as well."

"But you're related to-" Webby started to say, only to get cut off by Regina, who had her eyes on the Beagle Boy in the locker.

"But they don't know that." Regina told the others softly. "If they did, they would mention ransoming my Grandfather as well, not just Scrooge." Suddenly, Regina smirked wickedly. "If nothing else, if they do kill me, I know that they'll be joining me soon once Grandfather finds out."

Before any of the ducklings could say anything on that - that Regina pretty much saying that her Grandfather will kill/murder someone, only worded differently - Bigtime started to pace in front of them all. Frustration and anger plain on his face.

"Don't capture Scrooge's brats, Bigtime. Don't stick up the policeman's ball, Bigtime." Bigtime said annoyed, stopping his pacing. "Tanks don't float, Bigtime. She always treats me like the odd man out - because my ideas are too-"

"Intense?" Webby interrupted, leaning forward.

"Visionary." Bigtime corrected her with a glare. Looking away from the ducklings, Bigtime pointed to himself. "Well, I'll show her." Bigtime lifted his arms up, determination in his eyes. "I'll show them all!"

"That's not something you want to hear when you're tied up in a meat locker." Louie glanced to his brothers with a smirk when he said that, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Regina snorted loudly at Louie's comment, making Bigtime turn to her with a growl. Angrily pointing to the duckling who has left her marks - and by, did they still hurt! - on him. "Startin' with you!"

Louie, Dewy and Huey all gasped in horror when Bigtime lunged at Regina - who was snarling right back at the adult, daring him to get close enough to her so that she can bit him again - but everyone went wide eyed when he suddenly stopped mid-jump, falling to the ground, unconscious. Webby stood on top of him, a frozen pizza that was now split in half from the huge wack on the head she gave the Beagle Boy.

"Webby?!" The triplets cried out in shock.

Regina on the other hand was smirking at the sight in front of her. "That was amazing, Webby." Regina complemented, making said duckling rub the back of her head in embarrassment. Then, much to the triplet's shock and Webby's joy, the ropes around Regina fell off.

Regina sighed and stretched as she got up, rotating her wrists and feet to get the blood flowing back into them.

"You two could slip out of those ropes the whole time?" Huey asked in shock, jaw on the floor as he tried to process everything.

"Well, yeah." Webby shrugged as she got off Bigtime, shifting her feet awkwardly. "That's, like, being Captured 101."

"I leaned in school." Regina told them all once they looked to her. "One time a escape artist came to our school for a week to try and teach us the basics of his job. Never thought I would need to use it in a meat locker that is in Duckburg though." Regina sighed, shaking her head in the humor of it all.

"So why didn't you two get out sooner?" Louie couldn't help but ask in shock, looking to the two other ducklings as if he could not believe that they are real.

"Because I don't want you to think I'm weird!" Webby sadly frowned, glancing away from them all. "I've been stuck in a mansion for so long, and I'm trying really hard to be more like you all." Webby closed her eyes, frowning tightly. Regina's words echoing in her mind. She wasn't normal, but at the same time... "I...I'm not normal. Everything I do is, you know, not. But, I wanted to at least pretend for a while so...so that we could get along and be, you know, friends."

"My way of thinking is...different." Regina admitted after a few moments of Webby going silent. "In a hostage situation, fighting back is not recommended if you are not trained to do so. If you fight back, people might die. But....But I couldn't just _sit_ there. So, I was waiting for a chance. If that dog got close enough to me, I was going to jump him to try and knock him out. I also was using up the time to think on backup plans should that fail. Staying tied up just gave me more time to think, so I stayed that way." Regina smiled, shrugging with a gleam in her eyes. "I'm _weird_ like that, I'll admit to not being normal."

Louie, Dewy and Huey all glanced to one another, grimacing. They didn't want to make the two girls feel like this.

"I...I'm sorry." Louie said aloud, making everyone turn to look at him with wide eyes. Louie just sighed, looking off to the side. "I shouldn't have called you weird, Regina. Or snapped at you like I did. I-I'm sorry."

"Besides, normal's overrated." Dewy added in, smiling brightly.

"Yeah, we need you two to be your own type of normal." Huey told the two girls, smiling as well.

Both Regina and Webby smiled at this.

"It's fine. You're not the first to say or do that, and you won't be the last." Regina told Louie while Webby quickly untied the three boys. "But thank you for the apology. It's the first time someone did that without a adult breathing down their neck."

For some reason, that made the three boys flinch. But, Regain knew she wasn't the best at social awareness or understanding it, so she didn't say anything on the matter.

Once all the boys were up, Webby reached into her bag and pulled out some night vision goggles and put them on.

"I'm going to break every bone in her body." Webby's voice deepened, cracking her knuckles maliciously. But, lightened her voice when she turned to look at the others, rocking her hand side to side showing that it was iffy. "Or maybe just tie her up. We'll see how it plays out."

"I vote for the bone breaking." Regina put her two cents in while Webby grabbed a frozen sausage from one of the counters. "That, or, humiliation to the highest degree."

"You really do not like Ma Beagle." Huey looked to Regina with a raised brow.

"She is keeping us locked in a meat locker, planning to either hurt us or use us for her own gain, and wants to harm us in some way." Regina blankly told the duckling in red. "So, yeah, I'd say I really do not like Ma Beagle. Or any of the Beagles so far."

Before anyone could say anything else, Webby threw the sausage in her hand, making it go like a Frisbee as it went forward, then shot backwards to hit the air vent. Once the air vent was down, all the kids smiled or smirked. Webby then jumped onto the nearby freezer, and flipped herself into the air ventilation. The triplets and Regina quickly followed her, climbing up the shelves under the air vent to get into it.

"So, what's the plan?" Dewy asked the others as he gave Regina a hand to help her into the vent.

"We need to make a trap." Huey told them all with a serious face. "I don't see us sneaking past any of them."

"A trap..." Webby whispered, thinking on it before something hit her. She grinned widely. "I got it!"

**_-In The Front Of Funso's Funzone-_ **

"All right, boys." Ma looked to her two sons that stood in front of her. "McDuck's highfalutin' hooligan Beakley is coming to take you down." The older dog looked at her sons sternly. "Are you going to let her?"

"Mmm." Burger just smiled, doing a one armed shrug in answer.

Closing her eyes briefly to hold back in her anger, Ma decided to try a different rout. "No, you are not!" She pointed to the two of them, glaring at the both of them. "Beakley may be strong, ruthless and unforgiving, but you are the Beagle Boys! My Boys!" Ma pointed to herself, no one noticing a plane with a american flag on it passing by over their heads. "It's time to make your territory."

Burger and Bouncer looked at one another with wide eyes.

Sighing and rolling her eyes, Ma chose to just go the simple rout. She gave a kind, tired smile to her two sons. "Do it for your dear old ma."

That got them to grin, pounding their fists into their hands. Yet, before anything could be said or done, something went flying out of the front door to Funso's Funzone, breaking the glass on the door and making it shatter. All three dog anthros looked down to see it was a brick with a note attached to it.

Blinking, Ma bent down to pick up the note.

""Dear Ma Beagle, if you ever want to see your son again"-" Ma read aloud for a moment before rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Oh, for cryin' out loud."

And if things were not already going so great for Ma, she noticed a car coming up to the pier. Three people got out of the car. A short duck, a tall person in a trench coat and fedora - _making it hard to see them or make out just who or what they were_ \- and Beakley quickly got out and started to run to them. Ma just expected Beakley, not two others. Numbers were not on their side, meaning that she had to quickly deal with the kids if they wanted an advantage in this fight.

"You take care of them." Ma told her sons, opening the door to go inside the restaurant. "I'll deal with the squirts."

**_-With Donald, Beakley and Reginald-_ **

Reginald shivered as he stood behind the other two. Just watching the two dog anthros walking down the pier was enough to make him want to run away...yet...

"Beagle Boys are slow but quite large." Beakley started to explain to the other two. "I'll take the big one and-Donald?" Beakley went wide eyed, finally noticing how red Donald was getting.

Donald Duck panted, getting redder and redder as his famous anger started to overtake him. Soon, it reached it's peak.

"GIVE ME BACK MY BOYS!" Donald yelled out, jumping up and then running for all he was worth to the two Beagle Boys.

He quickly climbed up the biggest one, kicking the other and pulling on his eyes. Going all around, hitting and doing all the damage that he could, Donald then jumped onto the other one, kicking him down before using the momentum to jump right back onto the biggest one.

"I guess he can take care of himself." Beakley smirked before cracking her knuckles. With that, she ran to join in on the fight.

Reginald, meanwhile, was trapped in his own mind.

_'You're nothing but a **coward**.'_ Reginald's mind whispered to him, maliciously laughing at him. _'Just standing there, letting Regina be in danger. Why don't you run? It's what you do best after all.'_

How Reginald just wanted to give in. To just run and never look back. But...But that would mean leaving Regina. His little sister who gave it all up for him.

_'What good can you even do?'_ The voice chuckled darkly. _'Weak. That's what you are.'_

_'I-I can't just leave!'_ Reginald argued back, tightly gripping his head. _'R-Regina is in trouble!'_

_'Regina's stronger than you ever could be.'_ The voice just laughed at him, sounding as if it was loving every moment of it. _'Your parents were right. You are **nothing**. Nothing compared to Regina. A worthless little boy!'_

Shaking, Reginald shook his head, tears starting to fall. Taking a few steps back, Reginald's leg shook, nearly making him fall.

_'See? you're just going to leave your little sister, who is ten years old, to **die**.'_ The voice snarled mockingly. _'This is how you repay her? You're not worthy of being called 'Brother'. She loves you, looks up to you, and this is how you are going to let things go? **Pathetic**.'_

_'The sister, your only sister, who was the one to help you when you needed it the most is in trouble. And your just going to leave her when she **needs** you? Maybe you should have just died in that experiment for all the good you do.'_ The voice laughed insanely at it all.

Something in Reginald snapped.

_'I'm a coward.'_ Reginald slowly stopped shaking.

_'I'm worthless'_ Green hands fell limp to his sides.

_'I'm pathetic.'_ Slowly he lifted his head to look at the fight in front of him.

_'I'm not worthy of being Regina's brother.'_ Sky blue eyes hardened, becoming glaciers instead of the sky. _'I should have died or just gave up a long time ago. It would have made Mother and Father happy, I would never have burdened Regina or Grandfather then. I'm **nothing**.'_

"But," Lifting his hands, the pier started to shake. Reginald snarled, eyes gaining a insane light. "that doesn't mean I'm going to let them touch Regina as long as I'm alive! Those dogs are going to have to play fetch somewhere else!"

The pier shook, making the four fighting freeze.

"The thing's going to collapse!" Donald yelped, trying to regain his footing.

"No! Something is coming up!" Beakley gasped in shock, seeing something green climbing it's way up the sides of the pier. "Seaweed?!"

Before the Beagle Boys could even think about moving, the seaweed shot to them. They screamed as it wrapped around them, the plant moving as if it was alive.

Beakley and Donald took a step back, only for them to both flinch when they heard steps behind them. jerking their heads around, they both gaped at the sight of Reginald striding up to them all. While he might be covered from head to toe, his eyes stood out.

They glowed with insane anger, like the sky itself was either on fire or the sky was raining lava.

The plant-duck hybrid snarled, baring his teeth, and lifted up a tight fist. Gone was the nervous, shaking plant. Now stood a toxic and deadly flower with thorns that could kill someone with one touch.

"If you want to live another **second** , you best GIVE ME BACK _MY_ SISTER _RIGHT NOW_!"

**_-Inside Funso's Funzone-_ **

As soon as Ma stepped into the restaurant once more, the lights were shut off.

"Come on, kids." Slowly walking around, Ma frowned as she kept a eye out any movement. "I don't have time for games."

_"Then you're in the wrong place."_ A young girls voice came out, echoing slightly.

_"Funso's Funzone~"_ The girl sang out loud while Ma kept walking. _"Where fun is in the zone~"_

Just as Ma passed a hanging sign for the ball pit, something fired at her, hitting the sign instead of her. Quickly turning, she saw it was one of those sticky darts. Turning, she followed where the shot had came from. Once by the stairs that lead into the play area, Ma saw a shadow of a child on the climbing rope. The child quickly went up the rope and into the tubes that was over top of the ball pit.

Smirking, Ma took off her purse and started the chase in earnest.

Climbing up the rope, squeezing in the tubs and even crawling in them was nothing to Ma. She didn't even pay any mind to the cowering child hiding in the tubes when she past him. Not when there was a certain one that she wanted to give a good spanking to.

Eventually, Ma saw her chance when she caught up to the duckling. It was the rope bridge, and the duckling was running across it to get to the slide.

Chuckling, Ma gave a big jump onto the bridge, making the whole thing go up and down. The duckling flew up, flung back, and hit the bridge harshly.

"You can't outrun me." Ma chuckled, walking to the fallen duckling. "You know how many two-foot terrors I chased around the junkyard?"

The duckling got up, practically flying to the slide. "But I'm not outrunning you!" The duckling slyly stated, sliding down with Ma not far behind. "I'm leading you."

"Woh!" Ma gasped as she skidded into the ball pit. Growling, Ma started to dig for the duckling when a noise above her made her look up with wide eyes.

"Hi, Ma." Bigtime smiled in embarrassment, tied up and hanging upside down right above Ma.

"Seriously, Bigtime." Ma groaned in annoyance. If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

Grunting, Ma tried jumping up to grab her son, only for the balls to get in the way. Noticing it, Ma tried to push them away in frustration.

"Stupid plastic garbage!" Ma snarled, only to realize that she was sinking further and further into the ball pit. "W-Wait! No, stop!" Ma cried out in alarm, going further down with no way to stop it. "it's a trap!"

Suddenly, a grappling hook shot out from the ball pit. Pulling up, it showed Webby was the one leading the chase. Once up in the air, Webby smiled down at Ma. "That's what Regina said!" Then, she turned serious. Turning her head, she looked off to the side, crying out "Now!".

At the signal, the rest of the ducklings shot up with a fishing rod. Louie, Dewy and Regina all held it up while Huey used all his strength to reel it in.

Ma gasped, looking all around her once she noticed the net coming up from the balls. Before she even knew what was going on, she was up in the air, trapped in a net filled with plastic balls of all colors. Glancing to her son that was hanging besides her, he smiled at her nervously, knowing that he was in trouble.

Ma just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. This was certainly not her day.

Just as the ducklings got down on the ground, the front door busted in. Reginald right in the front, eyes looking slightly unhinged with Beakley and Donald right behind him.

At the sight of Regina, Reginald's eyes lightened up and it's like that insane gleam was never there.

"Regina!" Reginald cried out in relief, while both Beakley and Donald gaped at the sight in front of them.

Before Regina knew what was going on, Reginald was kneeling in front of her, checking her over for any injuries. "Are you okay? Did any of them touch you anywhere? Did they say anything to you? What happened?" Reginald fired off at a rapid pace, not even stopping to breath.

Regina just smiled brightly, reaching out and hugging Reginald around the neck, making Reginald freeze at the sudden hug.

"Thanks for coming to my rescue, Brother." Regina hummed, nuzzling her head onto her brother. "My hero~"

"Ha...haha.." Reginald laughed softly, gently bringing his arms around his little sister to hug her close. "I couldn't just leave you."

"Boys!" Donald quickly got over his shock to run and scoop his nephews into his arms, squeezing them tightly to his chest.

Beakley walked up next to Webby, looking up at the tied up Bigtime. "A slipstitch." She observed. then, she looked down at her granddaughter and rubbed the top of her head with a smile. "Nice choice dear."

"Thanks, Granny." Webby smiled up at her Grandmother in pride.

Bigtime watched them all before looking to his ma, and tried to smile. "It's okay, Ma." Bigtime told her as she looked to him. "I tried, and that's all that matters, right?"

Ma, on the other hand, did not agree. "Shut up, Bigtime." Ma lowly said, glaring at her upside down son.

"Why can't we have what they have?!" Bigtime cried out, swaying back and forth as she struggled in the rope.

"Now, let's get you all home." Beakley looked to the children with a smile. "The police should be on their way."

Donald hesitantly put down his nephews, the boys rolling their eyes at this. Reginald, on the other hand, just lifted Regina in his arms to carry her out. He didn't want to let her out of his hold just yet, fear still in his mind.

Beakley opened the front door, and all the kids gasped.

The whole pier was covered in seaweed. The two other Beagle Boys were tied up in the green plant, struggle to move in it. The only thing not covered was their noses so that they could breath. It wasn't a leap to be able to tell who was the one who done all this. All the ducklings turned their heads as one to look up at the covered mutant.

Regina slowly turned her head to look up at her brother.

"Reginald?"

Reginald gulped, flinching at the stares as he nervously looked down at the duckling in his arms. "Yes, Regina?"

Instead of a look of fear or anger, Regina's eyes were alight with delight and laughter. "You are so cool."

The flustered face he made after that was enough to make Regina's day.

**_-McDuck Manor, Pool, Few Hours Later-_ **

"Now flip the circuit on the boat's panel and you'll have power." Beakley explained to Donald as she closed the power box after flipping a switch.

"Thanks, Mrs. B." Donald thanked, feeling guilty that he had let his pride keep him from asking for help in the first time. But he shook that off to ask a question that has been bugging him for a while. "So how does a housekeeper know so much about electricity and Taekwondo?"

"Oh, simple. I'm a spy." Beakley started to laugh after she answered.

Donald laughed as well after a few seconds. But, soon his laughter slowly died as he looked Beakley up and down suspiciously. "Um..."

Over at the pool, all the ducklings but Regina were sitting by the side. Louie was laying back with his feet in the water, all the other were sitting up with their feet in as well.

"It was nice of Funso's to give us all those free tokens, and Regina that bag that she wanted from the prize corner, you know, to keep us from suing them." Huey smiled to his brothers and Webby.

Dewy nodded in agreement while Louie lazily smiled. "Yep, the system works." Louie agreed.

"So, what should we do next?" Dewy asked, looking at all of them.

"I don't know. Webby? What do you want to play?" Huey questioned, looking to Webby to answer and choose.

"Really? You mean it?" Webby smiled brightly at this.

"Any crazy thing you want." Louie answered, opening his eyes to look up at Webby.

"Oh, how about a nice game of-" Webby started to say, digging in her bag. Once she turned back to the boys, she had a medieval flail in one hand and a wooden red devil mask in the other that she put on. "Medieval Dungeon of Eternal Screaming?"

"I'm on Webby's team!" The triplets chorused together, Louie jumping up to sit up.

"Oh, should we ask Regina if she wants to play too?" Huey turned to look over where Regina and Reginald were talking at, away from everyone else.

Louie looked over, and then sighed. "I'll go ask."

**_-With Regina and Reginald-_ **

"Grandfather made his move." Regina quietly told her older brother, sitting by the mansion wall, taking items from her backpack to put in the messenger bag that she from from Funso's. Well, more like bribed them for if they wanted to keep her from suing them. "He called Scrooge and gave the message in code. The parents know I'm gone, the police know your gone, and his lawyers are ready. Grandfather is going to hold a public conference sometime tomorrow, telling everyone that he is going to press charges against St. Canard University and our parents."

"He's going to plant the first seeds." Reginald muttered back, praying that everything will go okay.

"He already got in contact with child services." Regina told her brother, zipping up her backpack and planing to empty the rest in the room they are using. "At the most, soon I will be a temporary ward of Mr. McDuck until Grandfather can take me in permanently. He mentioned pulling some strings to see that done."

Reginald snorted at that. He didn't know how, but he knew that his Grandfather had more than just strings to pull to get what he wants. Grandfather Abaddon had more than just his fingers in pies and cakes-

"A-Ah!" Regina snapped her head to look up at her brother. "I forgot! I made you a savory cake!" Reginald smiled when he saw Regina's eyes shine happily at that. "I'll bring it out. Maybe you can share it with your new friends?"

With that, Reginald rushed off. Regina watched until he was out of sight, then stood up. Putting on her new messenger bag, Regina lifted up the backpack and was about to go put it in the room she and her brother were using, but footsteps made her stop and look around. She tilted her head in confusion once she noticed it was Louie walking up to her. Tilting her head further, she saw the other ducklings watching them from where they say by the pool edge.

"Louie." Regina nodded in greeting once the boy stopped in front of her. "Is something wrong?"

"We were wondering if you wanted to play with us." Louie glanced away as he said this. "And....I wanted to say sorry."

"You already did." Regina pointed out, confused at the second apology. "In the meat locker, remember?"

"I know, it's just that, I really am sorry." Louie sighed, rubbing his head. "I still think you're weird, but a good kind, you know? I just don't get you."

"Most people don't." Regina agreed, liking how honest Louie was. He still thought she was weird, owned up to admitting that, but also didn't mind it too much. Better than most of the other kids she has met have ever thought about her or said to her. "I think it has much to do with the fact that I don't know how to be a kid."

"But you are a kid." Louie's brows frowned at this, not getting it. "How can't you know about being a kid when you are one?"

"I grew up early." Regina's smile had a edge when she said this.

Louie looked the duckling up and down before smiling. "Well, we can help with that."

"Oh?" Regina snorted, raising a brow at that. "And how can you all help with that?"

"The first thing is by playing games." Louie smirked, raising a brow right back. "And would you look at that, me and the others are about to play one. Seems like your chance to become a kid has just showed up."

Regina couldn't help but laugh at that. "Smooth." Regina complemented Louie, calming her laughter. "Fine, I'll play. But on one condition."

"What's that?" Louie leaned forward a bit in confusion, wondering what Regina could want.

Regina brightly grinned. "I'm on Webby's team!" With that said, Regina quickly moved around Louie, rushing off to the others.

"Hey!" Louie laughed, trying to catch up with the girl. "No fair!"

Unknown to everyone, Scrooge was watching them from a window on the third floor.

"I hope ye know what ye are doin' ya old bagrach." Scrooge whispered, watching the little duckling that grew up too fast running around with Webby and his great nephews and the mutated duck-plant hybrid walking out into the pool area with a cake in hand, nervously showing it off to Donald and Beakley. "Ye playin' a game unlike any before."

"Too much is on the line for ye to lose now." Scrooge then chuckled, face serious and grim. "So, play as dirty as ye can."

"If ye fail, I don' see your grandchildren getting out of this unscratched. In body, or _mind_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! And my holy stars, it took me so long!
> 
> As you can see, with Regina and Reginald being in the story, it causes a butterfly effect. Some effects being more noticeable than others.
> 
> Also, the siblings are codependent on one another. And abuse is more than just physical. Take the Dursley's from Harry Potter for example. While Harry is obviously abused, Dudley was abused too. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Spoiling is a type of abuse if done too much, and letting him get away with everything, letting him beat up Harry and such does not make for a well adjusted adult. Giving him all those sweets and foods could even have killed him, or at least give him health problems - heart problems at the least - later on.
> 
> In short, they could have killed their own son, if not made sure he would live a life in prison, by their overindulgence.
> 
> If Regina wasn't mentally older and reincarnated, she could have turned out like Dudley because of her parents - only more "lady-like". What I mean by that, is that her parents could have made it so that she felt self-important, be self-conceded, caused social and mental issues with her because of their treatment to her and of her brother. They still did here, but it could have been worse if she wasn't aware of the abuse and mentally older. All around bad, but it could have been worse.
> 
> In any case, the parents caused them to be codependent on one another because they had no one else but their Grandfather, who lives in another city most of the time, even if he does vacation in St. Canard from time to time. But in this story, he's going to be more in St. Canard as he is pretty much going to war with others and the public to get his Grandson free and his Granddaughter to live with him.
> 
> Here, Regina never made friends with Binkie like in 'Where My Roots Lead' - or will be as I am rewriting that story -, never made any friends until the triplets and Webby. Bullies have tried to bully her and teachers usually either don't see it, handle it wrong or look the other way. This causes her to be different then in her original story. Less soft and more hardened in a way without Binkie pretty much growing up right besides her. While it might not show, but only being bullied does leave it's mark on Regina, making it hard for her to understand and make friends with others around her age. 
> 
> She also takes after her Grandfather quite a bit, which will be shown more later on, as she looks more up to him than anyone else. It's why she called Bigtime 'Bad dog' - she has seen and heard her Grandfather doing the same -, which can be considered a racist comment with dog anthros. Reginald also made a similar remark about dogs and them playing fetch somewhere else, which can be considered rude to say to a dog anthro. Not racist, mostly, but rude.
> 
> Let's just say that Abaddon is not a nice duck. Great business and family duck, loves those he sees as family greatly and such, but not nice to others. He is also very dangerous, and is not afraid to show this around others or in any type of setting as long as he can get away with it. You'll see what I mean as the story goes on.
> 
> Reginald never had friends, his parents hated him and didn't want him, and only his sister showed him love while his Grandfather had been distant when he was young, being far too busy to come and visit him much. So, he clings to Regina because she is all he has in his mind. There is also the case that his self-confidence is in the negative, has depression and all other issues, and is so close to just falling in a dark hole and not getting back up.
> 
> Codependency. It's bad until it isn't. They keep each other sane, as neither are truly sane and are on that thin line of sanity and insanity. This will show more and more as the story goes on.
> 
> In the next chapter, we get Abaddon, and more on Reginald and Regina. We also see other sides to this whole thing.


	4. Declaration Of War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://orig00.deviantart.net/174a/f/2018/007/f/c/abaddon_1_by_harrish6-dbzbpmz.jpg
> 
> I made and own the art above. This here is Abaddon Bushroot. He always wears dark colors, usually a full suit, and well as shoes. He also has on a hat/fedora as well.
> 
> All in all, he is a tall, dark and very dangerous looking duck, no matter what his age implies.
> 
> I had watched the episode of DuckTales - the reboot - where they showed Darkwing for the first time. I'm excited because the creator of the reboot says he has plans, something he always wanted to do, for Darkwing.
> 
> I myself have thoughts about what it could be. But, in this story, it is obviously not going like canon in the show as Darkwing is a real hero and the villains are real villains. Yet, I will add in some things from the whole thing. I also like to imagine the villains as their older designs, back from the actual Darkwing cartoon.
> 
> Also, there are going to be made up laws in this story - which may be real laws where you are at for all I know. What I am getting at is that this is in a cartoon world, there are going to be some crazy laws that are made up that I am going to be using for this. Just a warning.

Abaddon Azazel Bushroot was many things.

Clever, sly, resourceful, ambitious, hardworking, and ambiguous were just a few things that he was.

But, he is also rude, ruthless, heartless, sarcastic, has little to no morals, and is a big troll among with many more things that could be said to describe him.

Abaddon is stingy with his love, stingy with those he is loyal to and respect. He loves wholly, so he only loves a few. But everyone else could die for all he cares, and he shows this with no regret. Abaddon Azazel Bushroot is many, many things, most of them not good or nice, but there is one thing he is not.

He is in no way  _stupid_. 

Getting to where he was in life, having as much business as him, both on the right and wrong side of the law took guts as well as smarts. If he was stupid, he would have been a bloody stain on the wall a long time ago, not being able to live to his currant age.

That's why this whole situation  _burns_  him in all the worst ways possible.

_- **"Grandfather?"**_

_"Regina?" Abaddon frowned, not having expected such a late call from his only granddaughter. Sitting in his office, doing some paperwork, Abaddon had expected a quiet night._

_**"Yes, this is me."** _

_"It is late, Regina." Abaddon put down his pen, feeling something wrong. Regina was not a normal child, she would not call unless something was wrong or happening. "You should be in bed."_

_**"I know it is late, but I just wanted to tell you something."** _

_"Oh?" Abaddon raised a brow, interested. His granddaughter is not like other children. So, this could be either interesting or bad. "And what is so important that I need to hear right now instead of waiting to tell me in the morning?"_

_"What is so important?" Abaddon could hear the smile in her voice. **"I just wanted to tell you that I am running away."**_

_"What." Of all the things he expected, this was not one of them._

_**"You most likely haven't heard yet, living in Night Owl City mainly, but Reginald has been mutated and arrested." Regina bluntly stated this all factually, yet Abaddon could hear something dark in her tone. "I'm tired of all the abuse on him, on me. I'm not a piece of clay to be molded, I am a living, breathing duck that can see how much Mother and Father have been killing my Brother."** -_

That lead to a whole other conversation that made Abaddon break his desk in anger.

How could his own flesh and blood fall so far? Sure, Abaddon himself was not a saint or even a good person - He knew hell was waiting for him when he finally passes on - but at least he never once abused his family in any way shape or form. Cypress should have known better, should have known that to mentally and emotionally abuse his own son was not something that should be done. Not even Abaddon would do something like that, and his list of wrongs he has done is very much dripping in blood. Just where did he and Narcissa go wrong? He might have been too busy and Narcissa too selfish or snooty, but neither of them abused Cypress or let him get hurt. Especially not because of what his gender was of all things.

Yet, this doesn't matter any more. Not really.

Cypress is no longer his son. In fact, right after the call, Abaddon got him written out of his will and only left him a letter - one that disowns him from the Bushroot family name if he dies before he can get it done in person. He really wants to see Cypress's face as his lawyer hands over that paperwork. 

How dare Cypress harm his grandchildren, those that were the future? Yet, it is also on his shoulders for being too busy for them, too bust to see what was going on.

Abaddon will make sure to make Cypress pay for what has been done to Regina and Reginald. In blood, screams and his entire life. Abaddon will destroy him and many others for what they have done to his family.

And Lily. Abaddon always had a bad feeling about her. At first he thought she was just a gold digger, that was why he told Cypress that if he wanted to marry her, he would no longer be his heir yet still his son, as he did not want to loose his only child. Yet, it seems that his bad feeling was about something else. It was like a itch, like something was either wrong with her or it was his gut warning him to keep a eye on her. Which, he failed to do correctly. He cursed himself, he should have done better. Should have known better. But, no. Because of his stupidity, his own grandchildren were harmed. It seems like his gut was trying to let him know that Lily was not sane, not mentally healthy. Because no mentally sane woman abuses her children in any type of way.

If only he lived in St. Canard, maybe things would have been easier. Been easier to see what was going on.

Night Owl City was a few cities away from St. Canard, meaning that it is a few hours drive away from the crime ridden city. It had tall skyscrapers and was known for it's nightlife. Only a few houses and mansions were in the city, more on the edge of the city then inside of it. It was were he mainly lived, because this is where he late wife loved to shop at. Abaddon liked it as it was crime ridden as well, just not up to St. Canard's levels to his disappointment.

It made it less fun for him in the long run.

_'But, maybe it is time for a move.'_  A smirk worked it's way up Abaddon's face, abyss like eyes staring down at the remains of his desk. paperwork scattered all over the floor along with wooden splinters.  _'Just need to call the lawyers and set everything up, and then I should be in St. Canard by tomorrow if I play my cards right.'_

Abaddon Azazel Bushroot was many things.

A family duck that was willing to murder, lie, cheat, and break all the laws for his family was just one of them.

The dark duck was going to shake things up in St. Canard, for better and for worse. And he was going to laugh as the flames consume the city while he and his grandchildren watch from a safe distance. All he needs to do was play his cards right and he would get what he wanted.

It was wonderful what money, blackmail, bribery, and getting your hands dirty can do. Everyone who has harmed his family was going to pay; In blood or screams, he wasn't picky.

Dean Tightbill, St. Canard University, St. Canard as a whole, Lily and Cypress Bushroot better watch out.

Abaddon wasn't known for leaving his prey or those that have wronged him alive and whole.

**_-Duckburg, McDuck Manson; Kitchen-_ **

"Thank you, Brother."

"You're welcome, Sister! More eggs?"

"Yes, please."

Now, the people living in the mansion expected a lot of things when they woke up. Scrooge expected to get his tea and newspaper and then go off to the kitchen to check in on everyone. Beakley expected to just wake up everyone, and then head off to make breakfast. All triplets expected a tiring Monday, get up, eat and then head off to school. Webby expected to eat and then head off to do her studies for the day. Donald expected having to get up, force food down his kids throats and then drag them off to school.

What none of them expected was to see Reginald in a fluffy purple apron, cooking up a storm, pouring what seemed to be chocolate milk into a mug and dishing out more food to his sister. Said sister, Regina, was sitting at the kitchen island on a bar stool, sipping out of her mug and reading the newspaper with critical eyes.

It was like they walked into a scene of a wife and husband having dinner. In reverse.

"Oh!" Reginald gasped at seeing the whole group/family in the doorway. "Good morning. I-I made breakfast. S-So if y-you want some..." Reginald stuttered, becoming flustered as he tried to give all his attention to the cooking food to distract himself from the stares.

Regina glanced up from the newspaper, giving a slight smile and nod in greeting. "Good morning everyone. I hope that you all slept well?"

Scrooge was he first to snap out of it.

Shaking off his shock, Scrooge stepping into the kitchen to sit on one end of the huge kitchen island. "I had me a good sleep." He answered the duckling before turning to the older Bushroot. "Lad, care tae make me some tea?"

"R-Right away!" Reginald agreed, hurrying along to get it made.

"Let me do that." Beakley quickly made her way to Reginald while the others finally made their way to sit at the kitchen island.

"O-Oh, okay..." Reginald nodded, going to the stove. Opening the oven, he pulled out a huge try of pancakes. "I made breakfast for y-you a-all. I-I kept it warm in the o-oven..."

"Sweet!" Dewy grinned at the sight of pancakes. "Pancakes for breakfast! There must be over a hundred!"

"When did you get up?" Webby asked Regina, taking the plate that Reginald offered to her.

Regina folded the newspaper back up, handing it off to Scrooge who asked for it. "We both got up at four, for the early morning news." Regina answered, scooping some of her eggs and vegetables onto her toast. 

"Four in the morning?!" Louie chocked out, jaw dropping as he stared at Regina, dumbfounded. "Who gets up that early willingly?!"

"I do." Regina bluntly stated, not looking phased at the looks she was getting. "Besides, the News told us - my Brother and I - that Grandfather will hold the public meeting this afternoon. Now, all we have to do is wait and see how this goes down, and how the public will react."

"O-Oh, I-I hope D-Darkwing D-D-Duck doesn't come hunting for m-me..." Reginald whimpered, shaking as he handed Donald a cup of black coffee. "I-I really d-don't want to be cut b-by a w-weed cu-cutter again..."

" **What.** " Regina's eyes froze over while the others stilled in shock.

"Reginald..." Donald slowly put down his cup of coffee, looking up at the nervously confused plant-duck hybrid. "Did this so called hero actually cut you with it? No questions asked?"

"W-Well, y-yes." Reginald frowned just thinking about it. "B-But, I-I n-needed to be a-arrested for what I did, and I wasn't coming q-quietly e-either."

"But that doesn't mean he should be using deadly force on someone who is obviously unstable at the time." Regina lowly told her brother, a glare on her face that would not look uncommon on a cobra. "Legally, he can not use deadly force on you like that. He's not a cop or a specialized officer trained to deal with that kind of situation; He can't make calls like that. What if he had cut off your head? Or your roots? We have no idea how your mutation effected you, he should have just knocked you out and handcuffed you, not cut you up like you're fertilizer."

"I thought heroes were supposed to be nicer?" Webby frowned, finishing off her food. "Like, the morally good standing that everyone can look up to?"

Huey huffed, crossing his arms. "He doesn't sound like a hero. Who pulls out a weed cutter on someone, and uses it to arrest someone? Does he even have the permits to conduct arrest or use full force like that?"

"I just don't get how the police let him do that." Louie shrugged, frowning as he thought about it. "If someone here ran around in a custom, arresting and beating people up, they would get tossed in the loony bin a long time ago."

"How did he get away with it?" Dewy asked, leaning forward in interest, grin wide on his face. "If I did that-"

"You would be grounded for the rest of you life before the police could get to you." Donald cut in, steel in his voice and glare. Dewy just pouted, crossing his arms, and sliding into a slump in his chair.

"It's St. Canard." Both Regina and Reginald said, like that answered everything. Which, to be fair, did in their minds.

St. Canard is not a safe place. Corruption was all around, in sight and in the shadows. It's one of the reasons why the insane villains never leave. It's one of the only places that they can call their own because of how twisted the city is. It's home, no matter what, and it takes everything and everyone in no matter how insane they are because it was already a madhouse of a city.

Even the normal everyday citizens, to some extant, are so used to the insanity and are just as insane as the criminals/villains. 

Oh, the town has been flooded by a mutated dog anthro? Better get out the emergency stashes and boats that were saved for this occasion.

Killer toys rampaged the city while a insane jester laughs as he tried to destroy a certain toy store? Time to get the kids and stay inside to play some board games while the police and Darkwing handles it.

A electrifying rat stealing light-bulbs, calling them his babies and saying he was freeing them from slavery, and zapping others? Better walk/run the other way, ignore what you saw and heard, and forget about buying those light-bulbs or other electronics that you needed for a while.

Got held up in a hostage situation/bank robbery? Everyone goes through it at least once in the city, therapy meetings -  _much like the AAA_  - are held weekly and at any time if you can't shrug it off and go on like others can, no shame in that.

Got mugged? Just another day in the wonderful city of St. Canard.

Got stabbed/shot on the way to work? 'Tis but a flesh wound; Put a band-aid on it and walk it off, got work to do and no one has time for a little stab/gash/hole in/on the chest.

Someone robbed you? Happens to everyone, time to up the home alarm to death lasers to keep those robbers away if the guard dog isn't working, after calling your insurance agency number that you know by heart now.

Someone pulls out a knife on you? It happens, get over it - _after pulling your own knife on them and having a stand down that happens every other day_ - or everyday for those that live in the really bad streets - for you.

Someone pulls a gun on you? It happens, either do everything and anything to survive it and tell the tale or pull out your own weapon and be ready to risk/bet/chance your life.

Someone pulls out a  _rubber chicken_  on you? Run like the devil is after you, because it is most likely QuackerJack playing dress up -  _if you don't recognize him on sight_  - again or someone that works for him.

St. Canadians are made of tougher stuff than others. The city is just plain insane and holds insaner people. They deal with more crap than any other city near them and keep going as if it never happened or is a thing of the past even if it happened just an hour ago. Things happen, strange things that you never expected to happen. Their city is within the top ten cities in the country -  _and Regina knows for sure that the city is within the top twenty in the whole world at the least_  - that have the worst crime rates, and death rates. Yet, while insane and dangerous, it is home. Even the criminals admit to that.

While they may wonder about, they will always come back to St. Canard. Where anything goes, everyone is insane -  _because why else would they stay and live in the city, raise their families there and risk it?_  -, the crime rates are too high, and the police are either corrupted or just plain incompetent. The only reasons heroes crop up is because the police can't do their jobs after all. And honestly, it makes it more fun for the criminals and villains - someone to aim to kill, and brag about if they one up the hero. It's a dangerous game that is addicting, even the civilians see it.

So, while Regina hates the fact that Darkwing pulled a weed cutter on Reginald, she knows it could have been worse. Pulling out a weed cutter is low on the list of things that could have happened. Not too low, but low enough that it is easy to place to the side for right now. Better to focus on what is going to happen than the past for right now.

"Our cities are very different." Regina eventually settled on. "Pulling out a weed cutter is very tame, if a bit unorthodox. While it should not have happend, it did. Best to move on."  _'Until it can be used against him if need be.'_  Regina finished in her mind, knowing that the others might have a different take on it all.

Really, Duckburg just seemed so... _fluffy_. Safer as a whole, even with their criminals in it, compared to St. Canard. What would be normal to Regina and Reginald would seem insane to the others because they have lived different lives than theirs.

"What are your plans for today?" Regina asked aloud, wanting to change the subject.

Dewy and Louie groaned as if in great pain while Huey beamed at her.

"It's Monday, so we have school soon." Huey answered brightly, looking very excited to get to the building of learning.

"I have school work to do, but Granny is the one who teaches me." Webby told Regina, smiling happily. Then, her smile fell as something hit her. "Regina," Webby tilted her head in question. "do you have school?"

"My school is in St. Canard, and I am not going while under Sanctuary." Regina shook her head in negative. "To do so would be a fool's mistake, they would find me easily then as the school would call my emergency contacts if I was reported missing or if the parents or police called the school to see if they saw me or heard anything, warning them to keep an eye out."

"Then how will ye learn?" Scrooge asked in slight concern, browns frowned as he sat down the newspaper.

"I have Reginald for that." Regina answered, ignoring how her brother stuttered and blush at this fact. "He passed all his classes at the top and has more than one doctorate. I'm sure that he can teach better than most teachers at my school can."

"B-Besides, R-Regina can te-test out of school if she wanted to." Reginald added in, putting the kitchen utensils he used in the sink and untying the apron to take off. "O-Or a-at least a-a few g-grades."

"Really now?" Beakley raised a brow as she looked to the brown haired duckling. "So, why don't you then?"

"Yeah, I'd do it in a heart beat." Louie sighed in bliss just thinking about not having school anymore, Dewy nodding in agreement with his youngest brother while Huey looked at them with disapproval.

Regina just sighed. "For one, the parents would not let me. They want a smart daughter, but not one that is overly smart. Second, I need social interaction and learn how to mingle with others my age." Regina chuckled in humor. "The social rules and laws that everyday, sane, and normal people must follow, something that I never will understand."

"And some never will." Donald grumbled right back, drowning the rest of his coffee.

"Yeah, it's not working out." Regina sighed out, drowning her cup of chocolate milk. "Children, I have yet to understand them. Hopefully, with time and before I myself am no longer a child, I will get better at it."

Duck and duckling sighed as one. Scrooge looked them both up and down before going back to his tea.  _'Of course a child acting like a adult wouldn't understand.' Scrooge silently sighed, saddened. 'She is viewing the interactions as a adult, not a child.'_

It was heartbreaking to see a child unable to be a child. Hurts all the more when you know it is because of a broken home.

"While talking is all good and well," Beakley started, glancing off to the side where a clock was. "I would hurry up and eat. You boys only have fifteen minutes before you have to leave."

"Awww! But I wanted to eat another stack!"

"I haven't looked over my school work yet!"

"Is it too late to be sick?"

Regina snorted, watching the triplets. Dewy trying to shove more and more food down his throat, Huey rushing to eat as to have time to look over some papers and Louie not even rushing, just slumping and eating as if there was no time limit at all.

Sharing a glance with a amused Webby, Regina smiled.

While Duckburg was a very fluffy city compared to her home city, there was no denying that there were such interesting people living in the city, some that she would never have found in St. Canard.

_'It's a shame then...'_  Regina looked down to her now cool plate of food.  _'That I am interloper in this world.'_

Yet, this interloper was willing to go to extreme lengths to make sure that her Brother will get to have a life after all that has happened to him. Even stay in a place where she should not be, to live through all that is right while she is wrong. To have the reminder that she shouldn't even be alive shoved in her face every second.

_'The things I do for the ones I love...'_

**_-A Few Hours Later, With Reginald and Regina-_ **

"Y-You wanted t-to speak with u-us?" Reginald asked, shifting on the couch he was sitting on. Both he and Regina were in one of the sitting rooms, watching one of the News channels that will show their Grandfather's conference live.

The triplets were in school, Beakley was doing some housework, and Webby was in her room doing her own schoolwork. Not too long ago, Scrooge came into the room, asking to talk to him and Regina about something important.

That alone sent so much paranoia to Reginald.

"Yes." Scrooge sighed, waiting for Regina to sit by her Brother before going on. "Ye Grandfather, and I do not know how he got it done so fast, was able tae get Child Protective Services tae send me paperwork tae get temporary custody of Regina until this whole custody battle is fought."

"When Grandfather said he employed the best lawyers money could buy, he wasn't kidding." Regina hummed, making Reginald laugh slightly hysterically.

"Now, before I sign them, I have tae ask ye;" Scrooge steeled his heart, eyes looking right at the two sitting in front of him. "Did ye parents truly abuse the two of ya?"

Seeing Regina's eyes go cold and Reginald flinch as if hit made Scrooge know that there was some type of abusing truly going on. And while he knew it in his heart, he had to know for sure. Everything pointed to abuse, to the parents not being good parents. Yet, he had to know for sure. He had to hear the two talk about it, to know just how far this went and what he could do to help.

It took a while, but, eventually, Regina slowly spoke up.

"The parents always wanted a daughter." Regina slowly stated this as if it was a fact of life, face set like it was stone. "They always told me this. They never wanted a son, just a daughter." She snorts without any humor. "I truly shudder in fear thinking about what could have happened to me if I had been born male or was transgender. Maybe they would have finally snapped?"

Regina then sighs, leaning back on the couch, crossing her legs. "I have no idea why, but this is the core of everything; Wanting a daughter. I do not think they are mentally well, but this is their reason for everything. Or, at least, part of it or the core of it all. But, I don't know how they acted before I was born, so I can't say for sure."

Here, Reginald looked down at his folded hands in his lap. "M-Mother and Father....they didn't want me..." Taking in a deep breath, Reginald steeled himself. "I had to learn to cook at four, because they would forget to feed me. I-It was like I wasn't even there. M-Mother would forget my name, forget that I exist. F-Father was harsh on me. I-I couldn't do anything wrong, no less than the best, and even then, I was a d-disappointment." Reginald tried to smile, but it was bitter and twisted. "O-One time they had went on vacation without me w-when I was s-six, having 'forgotten' me."

"And how long were they gone, Lad?" Scrooge asked in a whisper, dread filling his heart.

"A month." Reginald sniffed, holding back the tears. "I-I thought  _'This is it, they finally abandoned me'_. B-But they came home one day as if n-nothing was wrong. I-I tried talking to them, b-but they just i-ignored me." Reginald sighed, slumping slightly. "T-they n-never  _h-hit_  me....b-but...."

What was left unsaid was the cutting fear, the pain, hunger and so much more. Of trying to ration food, only to run out and have to get used to the hunger pains. The doubts that swirled all around, that they were never coming back, that he had been left to die. Crying himself to sleep because of how worthless he was, because why else would his parents leave him?

It hurt all the more when they had came back, not even happy to see him alive. Father had even looked disappointed at seeing him. That day, something in Reginald died. He isn't sure what part of him it was, as so much of him has either died or broken, but it was the start in his mind.

The start of what?

The start of his sanity degrading.

Seeing how much Reginald was curling into himself, Regina decided to start up on her own side.

"They never once  _hit_ or _kick_  me, but mental and emotional abuse is a everyday thing." Regina bluntly stated, eyes firm on the startled Scrooge. "I am not allowed to be myself, and they have been trying to train and force me to be someone who I am not. The best way I can put this is that I am a piece of clay in their minds, not their child. I am their's to mold and shape."

"What do ya mean by tha' me dear?" Scrooge's eyes were wide in horrified shock. Sure, it could be worse, but to know exactly what is has been going on isn't pretty no matter the type of abuse.

"The Parent's do not know one thing about me." Regina stated this with some twisted humor, a twisted smile coming to life. "If you ask them what my favorite color is, they will answer 'pink' when it is in fact green. If asked what my favorite game is, they will say 'tea time' or 'playing pretend' when I in fact don't have a favorite game. I prefer reading to playing, and I do not have any friends to play with." Regina shrugged. "It's like they ignore who I am, my flaws and the things they do not like about me, and change it up to fit what they want. Delusional is the best word to describe them."

"One time, when I was seven, I had found some of Reginald's old clothing." Regina began to tell the two, frowning as she thought back on it. "A few fit me, and I was tired of the dress I was in. It itched and the parents refused to let me change into something else. All my other clothing was out of my reach, so I decided to just change into some of my Brother's old clothing after finding them in a box in a closet." The duckling smiled a bit, but it wasn't a happy one. "It was a nice soft green shirt and a pair of brown shorts. The shirt even had a little monster picture on the front, it was cute in my eyes. The parent's had a different take on it."

"Is that why they burned all my old clothing and items that were left in the house?" Reginald asked softly, missing how Scrooge flinched.

"Yes." Regina sighed, rubbing her face. "They were not happy about me wearing what they deemed 'boy' clothing. The shirt and shorts were ripped off of me quickly, I was forced to take a scolding hot bath as if I was contaminated and infected with something, and then forced back into that itchy dress for the rest of the day." Here Regina's brows frowned. "Yet, the most worrying thing is that they seemed to forget about it not too long after. After burning all the clothing and items of Reginald's they could find, it was like it never happened, like I never wore such clothing or that they forced me into burning water. I do worry for their mental state, what could have happened to me if I tried to step out too much from what they wanted."

Scrooge's heart stopped for a moment. "Do ye think they would hav' hurt ya?" 'Worse than burning up with scolding water?' was left unsaid as he asked in a soft and gentle tone, eyes filled with nothing but worry. While Regina might not say it, they have already hurt her physically, and Scrooge paled at the thought of Regina screaming in pain, forced to be in the too hot water as they harshly scrubbed her down.

It did not escape his notice that they only said 'They never hit or kick me' or 'They never hit me', instead of saying that 'They never hurt me'. It was easy to see that the children were hurt, been hurt, by their parents - just in different ways. And some physical abuse must have happened. Scrooge can read in between the lines just fine. There was something dark, darker than what he is hearing, written in between their words.

The old duck wondered if he could handle hearing the whole, unedited truth on what went on behind closed doors in the Bushroot household. More than likely, he'd either go on a warpath and lock his doors with the two in front of him safe behind them so that no one would be able to touch them.

Some people should never become parents. Yet, Scrooge has found that usually, they are the ones that are more likely to become parents than the ones that deserve to have children.

"I once bought a superhero comic with my own money. It's a guilty pleasure of mine; comics, cartoons, and wanting to collect items having to do with them. Of course, I never got to collect anything like what I wanted and I could only watch certain cartoons - ones that I don't care for." Regina looked Scrooge dead in the eyes. "When the parents found the comic, they ripped it from my hands, started screaming and yelling that it wasn't appropriate for their 'Little Queen' and 'Perfect little girl'. They then ripped the comic up right in front of me, demanding to know where I got it. After that, I was grounded. Yet, not even two hours later, they don't mention it even as they hand me some princess books, little children's books at that, when they should know good and well that I can and like to read chapter books. That I do not need children's books because they do nothing for me." 

Regina tilted her head with a smile. "I truly believe that if I had fought back on anything, to keep that comic or those clothing, it could have gone violent - they did burn me with hot water after all, not paying and mind to my screams about it - and they wouldn't even remember it because of them blocking it out. What they don't want to see, what they don't want to know, is blocked out from their memory and minds. I had to toe the line in that house, and one step too far could mean one or both of them snapping."

Something heavy settled in the old duck's stomach as he glanced to the two siblings sitting on the couch in front of him.

_'Do....do they not understand what they are saying?'_  Scrooge asked himself, only for him to mentally disagree with it.  _'No, they understand, they just don't see just how wrong it is. They have lived with those disgraceful ducks calling themselves parents for their whole lives. They do not see how disturbing it is for others, just that it has gone on too far. The snapping point for the dear was her parents trying to do in her brother. They know it is wrong, but not how much it is. Like it was naughty, not criminal. It's normal for them.'_

Abaddon had the right idea to take the steps needed to get them out of the house as quickly as he can. What if Abaddon hadn't, and then confronted everyone like he planed on doing? Would they have harmed Regina after finding out she called her Grandfather for help?

None of this painted a pretty picture, and Scrooge could see the courts having a field day with this once the custody battle truly begins. And this is not even counting Reginald's hearing in court.

But this just steeled Scrooge's resolve. He was doing the right thing. What Reginald did does not matter, not now. What Regina did and is planing to do does not matter, not with family on the line like it is. Everything will work out, Scrooge will make sure of this.

"Alrigh' then." Scrooge smiled slightly, feeling his age for once. "I'll give the call to the services. Reginald, ye be under my custody until this mess be cleared out." Then, he looked to Reginald. "Lad, I got the paperwork for ye to be under my protection and custody as well. As they haven' gone through the paperwork tae arrest ya, you be under me protection. Both of ye are under me Sanctuary."

The duckling looked him up and down, sizing him in a way no one has done in years. It was like he had been put on display for everyone to see into his very soul. But, he kept his gaze firm. He would do right by these two that have been done wrong. Then, she smiles and his breath is taken away.

That smile should not be on a duckling's, any child's, face. It was heartbreaking to see such a broken smile, eyes saying 'Why would you do this for us, what is your gain?'. Yet, there was thankfulness in there too, and it made it all the worse. Like she never expected him to take them in, most likely thinking that he was just holding them inside until he can hand them off to the police or worse - their so called parents.

"Thank you Mr. McDuck." Regina gave a nod in thanks. "You are going beyond your debt, I'll be sure to tell this to Grandfather."

"T-Thank you..." Reginald was shivering, eyes screaming his confusion on why Scrooge would go this far for them, but fearing that the older duck would take it back if he said anything aloud.

There was so much damage done to these two, so much so that Scrooge wondered if there could be one day where they would smile freely.

_'The only thing I can do now is do the best I can.'_  Scrooge gave a nod to the two ducks before leaving the sitting room.  _'All the best that Abaddon called me to repay the debt. My word is as good as gold. After all, I'm Scrooge McDuck, I can do this and more.'_

It only hit Scrooge later, as he was walking to his office to make the calls needed, that not once did Regina call her parents, her's. Only 'They' and 'The Parents'.

He thinks that explains a lot about the situation. Much more than anything they had told him.

**_-St. Canard; Bushroot Household, Early Afternoon-_ **

"What do Child Protective Services have to do anything?!" Lily growled into the phone, eyes bloodshot and the bags under eyes having their own bags. "I never once put a hand on Regina in such a way!"

Cypress sighed from where he sat at the couch, the TV turned down low in front of him, slumped and hands over his face.

For two days now, ever since they found their daughter's bed empty and phone left in the room, both of them tried calling everyone they could to try and find their little Queen. But soon after, the police and others were calling back; Asking some weird and suspicious questions about themselves.

Which, Cypress could understand to a extant. While there was no way Regina could have ran away -  _not his little girl. She was too sweet to do something like that to them, she had to been taken by some criminal while they were asleep._  -, they had to look at that angle as well as others. And for a ten year old to 'ran away' from home, that usually means that something is going on in the household.

Yet, they are taking it too far. Cypress never thought that Child Protective Services would be calling, demanding to know what was going on - when nothing was going on!

"Reginald? Who-Oh! What does he have anything to do with this?!" Lily frowned deeply from where she was pacing, looking one step away from snapping. "He's an adult and a criminal!"

_'Maybe I should give Father a call?'_  Cypress sighed, rubbing his face. But what could he say to his Father? The one person he tried to make sure had as little contact with his daughter as possible? His Father wasn't the best role model and not someone that he wanted influencing his precious little Queen.

**_"-Bushroot has came out now to talk about a disservice that has been done to his family."_ **

Cypress's head shot up to look at the TV, jaw dropping at the sight of a bunch of reporters standing in front of a podium that his Father was standing on. Hurrying quickly, Cypress turned up the volume on the TV.

**_"In just a few moments, Abaddon Bushroot will be holding his first public conference in over twenty years! Whatever was done to his family must have been huge for this to happen. And, as this is live, we will make sure to let everyone here and know what is going on as we do."_ **

"....Lily, you better come see this!" Cypress called for his wife, not looking away from the TV. Something inside of him told him that this wasn't a good thing. What could have happened for his Grandfather to come out in public like this? His family was fine, or at least, as fine as he knows. Cypress made sure to not let his Father know that Regina was missing. He hadn't want to involve him unless necessary.

"What is it, Cypress? I'm talking to-" Lily begain, only to freeze at the next words out of the TV.

**_"I am Abaddon Bushroot, third richest duck in the world, and it is safe to say that I am not happy with some of the on goings that has happened to my only family."_ **

Lily slowly looked to the TV.

Black, dark abyss like eyes stared back as if they could see her through the screen, as if they owner knew that she was watching and wanted to consume her.

**_"By only family, I mean my Grandchildren. Yes, I do in fact that Grandchildren. Let me start from the beginning to clear up the confusion on all this, on why I am even here talking about this. maybe once I am done, I will feel up to it to answer any questions you might have. But only then."_ **

"What does he mean by that-!" Cypress cried out, missing how Lily dropped the phone in shock.

_'....What is going on?'_  Lily slowly, with shaking legs and hands, picked back up the phone and went to sit down by her husband.

_'Why do I feel like this is the start of something I will not like?'_

**_-St. Canard; Mallard Household-_ **

Drake Mallard -  _a short, white duck with black eyes, dressed in a peach shirt and green sweater vest_  - sat alone on his couch, focusing fully onto the TV. His daughter was at school, and it was a good thing. He would hate to have to chase her around when he wanted to watch the news.

As Darkwing Duck, he had to know about the on goings in the city, in his city. So, once hearing that Abaddon Bushroot was going to talk out in public in St. Canard, he knew he had to take the time to sit and listen.

It was funny how he never thought about it all. It made him wonder if he was truly fit to be a hero if something like this missed him. Even as something as simple as sharing a last name should have tripped him off, yet he never connected the two. It was a hard thing to do, but in Drake's defense, Abaddon Bushroot was nothing like the Bushroot he had met and fought.

**_"Let me start with my oldest Grandchild. You may know him as Dr. Reginald Bushroot, the duck who supposedly mutated himself."_ **

Eyes going wide, Drake nearly shot up at this, growing cold at the 'Supposedly'.

_'I didn't miss anything did I?'_  Eyes narrowing into a thoughtful glare, thoughts started to overtake his mind as he thought back to him arresting and taking down Bushroot.  _'How could I miss something? It was obvious-'_

**_"It's funny that no one questions what could drive someone to mutate themselves. Or, better yet, they never question if that was what exactly happened. Only taking a third party's information for the truth when every story has more than just one side to it all."_ **

_'Okay, maybe not so obvious.'_  Drake gulped, mind whirring as it tried to come up with something.

**_"I am sad to say that I am not close to my son, Cypress Bushroot. I tried to stay in contact after he ran off to be married, to the now Lily Bushroot, but he never seemed to want me around his family. Now, I know the truth on why this is." The dark duck on the screen nearly growled out, head coming up to show his dark eyes that had been shadowed under his hate. "I should have tried harder to get to know my Grandchildren, my Grandson and Granddaughter. Cypress, Lily, if you are listening to this, know that I now know why you tried to keep me out of your house, away from the children."_ **

Drake gulped at those eyes. Even if he knew it was silly, it was like those eyes were accusing him. That Abaddon could see him on the other side of the screen, his eyes like the abyss. The hero could hear the pain in the older duck's voice, the darkness in it. Abaddon was not messing around, that much was for sure.

Yet, Drake had a feeling that he would not like what was coming. What was to be said next.

**_"I have come upon proof that Cypress and Lily Bushroot have been abusing both their children. My Grandchildren." Abaddon Bushroot in all his glory glared, face in a snarl, yet worry and self-anger was plain to see on his face. "Imagine my shock when I found this out, and started to gain proof. Yet, this explains too much to ignore. About why my Grandson, Dr. Reginald Bushroot, had snapped in a moment of insanity. But, this is not all that added into him mutating himself."_ **

With a sinking heart, Drake numbly listened to the third richest duck talking. For once, his thoughts silent as he tried to take all of it in.

**_"After sending in private investigators and getting some old security video footage, as well as some old paperwork, I have found out that my Grandson has been harassed, abused, and so much more at St. Canard University. From the very three people he had targeted when his one moment of insanity had happened." Abaddon smirked grimly, eyes going shadowed. "Is it any wonder that he would go after the three that made his life hell for all these years, when his main two abusers were not there? The two doctors that were turned into plants had harmed Reginald, and Dean Tightbill did nothing to stop it. I even have reports of others filling for harassment about those two, yet the Dean did nothing as they were making him a profit that he could not ignore."_ **

**_Here Abaddon opened his arms, as if showing all the proof. "Now, doesn't this paint a different picture with another side? My Gradson, Dr. Reginald Bushroot, is not a insane person. Just one that has been beaten down so low that when it all came to head, he snapped like anyone would. What's even more damning is that he did not even get a court date, a lawyer, or a notice that he would have his day in court with a jury to explain his side of things in court. They just threw him in jail to rot because of a third party's information - information that does not give the whole story. He didn't even get his one free call."_ **

Drake was right. He didn't like what had came next.

He didn't have all the facts, never did. Darkwing is supposed to be a hero that everyone can look up to, that everyone can love and see that he would help them. Sure, while the merchandise and love he gets from the fans are great -  _really, REALLY great_  -, he's still a hero that should have known better.

Darkwing should have seen the signs of abuse. Should have asked more questions. Should have seen that there was more going on in the background. As the greatest hero ever, he should have known better.

Darkwing Duck has failed someone. Has failed someone so hard that they have snapped and came close to becoming a criminal if not for their family -  _the family that is not abusing them_  - fighting for their rights.

So, when Darkwing Duck has failed, that must mean that Drake Mallard should pick up the slack until Darkwing Duck can make this better if his civilian side can't. Learning, no matter how it leaves a bitter taste, needs to be done and can be learned from failure. No matter how many times he is going to grumble over this, Drake knows that he needs to find out the whole truth about this.

As a hero, he might have been played. While Dr. Bushroot might have committed multiple serious crimes, he might have done it under circumstances that made him eligible for help, help to get him better. Never mind that the Doctor should have never been thrown in jail without his rights read to him and getting said rights.

Justice must be done, must take place. But, how can justice happen when he doesn't know who needs it and deserves it. When did his black and white world become filled with so many colors and shades?

For now, in this life changing day, all Drake can do is watch the new numbly, blankly taking all this new information in. Shock was setting in. Serious thinking, planning, and hunting for the right and true information could come later. Right now, all that matter was what was being said on the TV.

_'I pulled out a weed cutter on a abused victim.'_  Drake numbly thought to himself, feeling sicker and sicker as he thought about it.  _'What kind of hero does that make me?'_

And to think, this conference is just starting. With more and new information coming out, the more sicker Drake feels - the more he feels that he needs the truth, all sides, and that he has failed....or did he? Who was lying, who was telling the truth? How much of the grains in these stories are truthful, and how many are tainted with lies?

When did the truth become so muddled and gray?

**_-St. Canard; Apartment In The Central Part Of Town-_ **

"Oh, Reginald." A tall, female white duck quietly sobbed out. Her mid-length curly brown hair swaying as she fiddled with her glasses as she tried to rub the tears away. "What have we done?"

Rhoda Dendron could only cry knowing what she did. Of course she noticed the harassment and abuse going on in the labs, she tried to stop Dr. Gary and Dr. Larson from bullying and picking on Dr. Reginald all the time. Yet, never did she report it or fight for him. Never once did she see just how far the harassment went.

**_"For the talks of kidnapping, it is not shocking once looking at everything." Abaddon Bushroot went on to say. "What did you think would happen? Let me paint you a picture. There is someone who has been abused, bullied, harassed and spit on for their whole life. They are at their lowest, no one ever showing them a once of romantic love - something that they crave yet only see as impossible for them. Now, here comes someone showing them kindness, sticking up for them. Thus, an attraction is born. Now, this person tries show off their work as a means to prove themselves, and it backfires so badly that they may never be able to live a normal life ever again. They snap, go after their abusers, and still, the person they are attracted to is still being kind to them and standing up for them. Who wouldn't twist what was going on in their minds in this stressful situation? Someone so lonely and kicked down clinging to what they see as a impossibility - someone so kind, loving them even if they are no longer normal?"_ **

**_"Dr. Reginald kidnapped this woman because he thought it was his only chance at love, not seeing that someone could truly fall in love with him - before the mutation and after the mutation. It was either clinging to something good at that moment, or doing something even more drastic. Because, once his abusers are gone, or at least, mostly gone, what else can he do? A depressed, newly mutated plant duck hybrid, one who thinks that he life is over? With nothing to cling to, he might have just killed himself instead."_ **

Her sobbing grew at this. If only she had seen something sooner, had worked harder or tried harder at making sure that those two doctors were in line. But, in the end, she had failed. She was blind, never seeing the pain Dr. Reginald was in.

And, she made it all worse. Maybe if she tried talking him down, it would have been easier. Or better yet, had filled charges against the University for what they have done to him before this whole mess started. He had -  _still is most likely_  - been a sweet duck. One who loved plants so much, had a gentle way about taking care of them. Rhoda had not once seen one mean bone in his body until he mutated himself.

Dr. Reginald Bushroot was someone she always admired. He had helped the entire world with his studies and experiments. Helped saved lives and done so out of the goodness of his heart, using his winnings to conduct more experiments and studies on how to help with the usage of plants and vegetation. Not even winning the highest award he could made him brag, he was always so humbled.

It hurt to know that the humbleness was from abuse. That not even the whole world could see that he had been hurt so much that insanity, even just a moment of it, was so close at hand. Just needing another push.

It must have all boiled until it started spilling over. And she helped make the pot spill over.

Reginald might have truly loved her, or he may have just been clinging to the only kind person he has or was in the area. Rhoda may never know, but what she does know is that this should have never happened. The abuse should have been noticed a long time ago. Even if she was never in love with him or viewed him in a romantic light, it didn't change that she saw him as a friend.

_'Are people so selfish, so blind that they ignore the signs right in front of them?'_  Rhoda asked herself with a sniff, shaking as she tried to hold back the next wave of tears that wanted to come out.  _'Am I truly that blind? Or was it because of my job?'_

She knew that speaking out would get her fired, it wasn't hard to tell. Dean Tightbill only cared about the profits, about what could make him the most money. And while Reginald's work was some of the best and helped the world the most, it wasn't expensive or made a ton of money. Reginald mostly relied on prize money, his pay check as the university's botanist, donations and loans to fund his work and studies. The University, and more importantly, Tightbill, didn't make a ton of money off of Reginald if any at all. 

Dr. Gary and Dr. Larson on the other hand, loved to butter up Tightbill, and their work would make sure that Tightbill would make more than a little bit of money if their project ever made it into production and the public's good graces.

Did she really want to work under such a person? If this could happen to others, that just means it can and will happen again. Did she truly, without a doubt, want to keep working in such a place? Could she ignore this once more? Did she  _want_  to?

_'No....'_  Rhoda slowly shook her head in negative, watery eyes watching the TV.  _'No I don't.'_

Needless to say, the very next day, she turned in her resignation with no regrets. No longer would she work on St. Canard university.

It'd take a long time before Rhoda was ever able to look herself in the eyes in the mirror. Not when all she can see is Reginald looking back at her with his watery sky blue eyes, ones that screamed for help that would never come until it was too late.

**_-St. Canard University; Dean's Office-_ **

**_"St. Canard University should have seen the signs. The Dean, Dean Tightbill, should have stopped the harassment as soon as he saw it. Yet, he didn't. Makes me wonder why. Does he have something to hide? Or was he, himself, apart of the harassment?"_ **

"THAT NO GOOD SON OF A-" A short white duck in a three piece brown suit with a black bow tie exploded, nearly tearing out the rest of his red hair out of his already balding head. "Just who does this duck think he is?! Telling me how to run MY university?!"

It was safe to say that Dean Tightbill was not having a good time or day. And he knew that the future, starting just tomorrow, was going to get worse.

**_"Is it not questionable that Dean Tightbill wanted to fire Dr. Reginald before his actual firing, when taking in account of him ignoring or actively participating in the harassment? I have reports from others working at the University that state that Dean Tightbill was always complaining about Dr. Reginald. About how his experiments were not 'profitable' enough. There are also cases of him threatening Dr. Reginald with his job at the University multiple times."_ **

It was like the dark duck was mocking him on TV. That damned smirk on the other's beak was enough to make his blood boil beneath his feathers.

**_"This is not even touching on what Dean Tightbill had hid. If he can ignore or even participate in Dr. Bushroot's harassment, then what else had he ignored or done that he doesn't want others to know about? I'm sure that if the police were to do a thorough sweep of his records, house and bills, that something wrong will show up."_ **

_'If they were to find out-!'_  Tightbill harshly snarled right back at the screen showing the third richest duck in the world - and most likely, one of the most dangerous ducks in the world.

_'These Bushroot's are going to ruin me!'_  Eye twitching, Tightbill could only growl as he watched the news. Knowing that his whole world was going to crumble sooner rather than later. But, Tightbill didn't get where he was today by just giving up.

What Abaddon was saying was just words. Words that could be backed up, but only if they go that far. No, all Tightbill has to do is ruin Abaddon and the rest of those brats before they can fully run his name in the mud. It shouldn't be hard to make that Reginald pay for doing this to him. Easy as pie to make it so that the public wants them dead.

Well, only if he doesn't kill them first.

"Hahah....HAHAHAHAHA! You want to play this game with me?! I'm sure that this will be a profitable time for me at the end!"

**_-St. Canard; Cat Lane, Apartment 250-_ **

**_"We have discussed my Grandson's past, his mutation, possible reasons, and actions done against him, now it is time to talk about my other grandchild; My Granddaughter, Regina Bushroot. Abuse does not only happen to one child after all, and abuse comes in many different forms. What shocks me is that the school systems, the teachers that they have had, never once noticed anything wrong. Or, if they had, never once said a thing about it or against it."_ **

A old graying orange cat anthro sat on a plush love-seat, watching the news with weary and watery eyes. Her hair was done up in a bun, and she was wearing a yellow sweater over top a blue dress that stopped at her ankles.

Ms. Katton had been a elementary school teacher for a long time now. She had taught kindergarten for two decades, and has seen many children come into her classroom.

She, in fact, was the kindergarten teacher to both Bushroot children.

**_"My own Granddaughter called me, telling me she could not take it anymore. Could not take the abuse to her and her elder brother. Could not take the fear and doubts. Could not take staying with the two people who would have hurt her worse if she had been born male instead of female. A young duckling, not even a teen yet, had to watch her own parents break her brother because of something he could not control and try to change her into something she was not. My Granddaughter said that they treated her like clay. Something to mold into what they deem fit. She was to be their perfect little girl, and she feared acting out of line. Lily and Cypress do not see her as their daughter, they see her as something they can mold into whatever they please. There is only so much a little girl can do when her own parents try to emotionally and mentally manipulate her into being a different person."_ **

The old cat could recall when Reginald Bushroot first walked into her classroom.

The young duckling had been with his Mother at the time. Yet, Ms. Katton could remember Mrs. Bushroot's cold eyes as she practically dumped the boy into her classroom, never once looking back as she left him in there, crying. Reginald always seemed to try his best to make his parents proud, but not once did she recall them even smiling at Reginald - who, as he got older, started to flinch away from them.

She then remembered when Regina Bushroot came into her classroom.

The young girl had walked in with her head held high, ignoring her own Mother who looked at her with bright eyes. Ms. Katton thought to how the youngest Bushroot never once looked to her Mother, who had to be practically dragged out of the school. Regina never once said a good thing about her own parents, eyes always too old for her young face just staring blankly when asked about them.

_'Abuse comes in all forms. Not all abuse is hitting someone. Sometimes, it is the silent abuse, the abuse that is filled with words rather than violence, that is the most deadly for no one can truly see it until it is too late.'_  Ms. Katton bit her lip, closing her eyes.  _'No child should have to fear going home.'_

_**"She had told me rules that she had to follow, she had told me how she had to wear a mask in her own home in fear that it might set off her own parents. But, there are also a lot of things she didn't say. It is the things she did not say that are the more worrying. Regina had to grow up too early. My own Granddaughter had to step up when the adults that were supposed to be watching after her didn't. I have already contacted Child Services and my lawyers, she will not be staying another night in that house unless a Judge forces it. I will be fighting until death to make sure that doesn't happen."** _

The old teacher wondered why she never once noticed the abuse. Why she never spoke up when she saw Reginald flinch away from his own parents or when Regina looked so weary, like the young duckling had been through war even if she had only been five years old at the time.

_'Excuses.'_  Ms. Katton realized with a start. For every thing she noticed wrong, her mind excuses up for every single time.

Every time Reginald had flinched, she had told herself it was just him being nervous like usual. Every time he had looked weary and ravenous, she had told herself that it was because he was a little boy, most likely not eating his vegetables - telling herself it was because he loved them too much to eat them. Every time the children were too harsh -  _it was bullying, no other words for it, Ms. Katton knew this_  - on him, she had thought to herself that he had to get used to it as he was a little boy, that he just had trouble making friends and that would change with age.

Every time Regina looked blankly at her parents of had trouble with others her age, she told herself that it was because she was so smart, of course she has trouble socializing. Every time Regina acted much too old for her implied age, she just brushed it off as Regina being way ahead of other children mentally naturally. Every time Regina was bullied, she didn't do a thing because she was afraid of Regina. She could recall the time Regina tried to tell her how to do her job, listed a very valid reason for her to do it, yet she didn't because in her mind, here was a child telling her, an adult, what to do.

What can she say though, when that child is not actually a child anymore because of the actions of the ones that were supposed to protect her - herself included.

Ms. Katton failed as a teacher, more than once and most likely more than she knows about. The old cat has failed children. Just how many died because of her failings? Just how many did not make it through the cracks?

Not having a answer scared her just as much as having one would.

_'Maybe....'_  Ms. Katton looks to the screen with tired, sad and watery eyes.  _'Maybe it's time to think about retirement.'_

**_-St. Canard, Abaddon Bushroot-_ **

"I will stop at nothing to make sure that my Grandson gets his rights, time at court and to let everyone hear his side of his story. I will stop at nothing to make sure that my Granddaughter has a safe home to go to at the end of the day." Abaddon's dark eyes took in the enraptured reporters and citizens listening to him. "I will now take a few questions. Wait to be called on, do not shout as I will not answer."

A ton of hands shot up at this. Taking all them in, Abaddon eventually pointed to a female, green duck with large bleach blond hair.

"Roxanne Featherly." Roxanne introduced herself shortly before shoving her recorder up as she asked her question. "There are reports of Regina Bushroot going missing. Do you know where she is, if you know about all this other horrifying information?"

Hiding his satisfaction at her words of this all being 'horrifying' information -  _It shows that they are on his side, if only a little bit. They can see what is wrong, they will fight with him if push comes to shove. Just a little more, with some time and proof, and the city will be fighting with the ones trying to stop Abaddon from getting what he wants._  - Abaddon gave nothing away on his face. "Regina called me before she left. I was able to convince her to go as for Sanctuary. I will not say where as of yet, but do be assured that Child Services do know where she is at. In fact, just before this conference started, they have asked someone to act as her temporary guardian until the matters of custody are settled."

"And what of Reginald Bushroot breaking out of prison?"

"He didn't break any laws when he left." Abaddon smirked at the shocked looks he got. "The paperwork was never filed and they never convicted him. They just tossed him in a cell. Because of how his rights were violated and how they never did the right paperwork, Reginald was in his right and within the laws to just walk out of the jail. Next person....you. The one with black hair."

"Bianca Beakley." Abaddon raised a brow at that. Wasn't that bodyguard of Scrooge's called 'Beakley' too? "Are you saying that Darkwing Duck was in the wrong with what he did? Is he not a hero?"

_'Ah, a crow looking for it's next meal.'_  Abaddon mentally snorted at the lady looking for some juicy gossip to make into a 'horrible truth'. "What Darkwing Duck does is admirable, especially in a city like St. Canard. But, he is still just a duck no matter how you look at it. There is no way he could have gotten all the sides to the story. I can not speak for him of course, you'd have to ask him for yourself on what he did and felt."

There. He made sure that everyone knew that he had some positive thoughts on Darkwing, yet still did not call him a hero and made sure to point out that Darkwing is also just a normal duck as well. Then, he shifted the rest of the questions, and what the other was implying, onto Darkwing himself to answer.

Abaddon has been playing this game for far too long for someone to trap him in a game of words.

"And you are doing this just out of the goodness of your heart?" Bianca's eyes gained a sly gleam. But Abaddon knew how to make this work for him. "You haven't been out in so long, and yet now, suddenly you are all for showing yourself...."

"I know about the rumors about me. I know how others think about me and feel about me. I know I haven't gone out into the public for some time until now. But there is one thing above all else that I am." Abaddon lifted his head, eyes dark yet having a fire in them for all to see. "I am a Grandfather. I love all my grandchildren with all that I am. I have failed them once, I will not fail them again. I do not care who gets in my way, I will move them. I haven't gone out in public as I did not have a reason too. Well, this is more than a reason. Ask any good parent or grandparent and they would agree with me."

Before the reporter could go on, Abaddon pointed for the next one to go.

"John Barker." A young dog anthro started nervously. It was easy to see he was new at the job. "W-What are your plans if you do get custody of your granddaughter? If your grandson goes free and is placed under you as well?"

"For my Grandson, it is simply trying to make sure he can have the life he wants. As normal as it can be for him." Abaddon then smirked, as he saw his opening. "For my Granddaughter, no matter what happens, I am naming her my Heiress. Even if I don't win custody, she will be my heiress, for all my wealth, companies, and estates."

There was a pause. The watchers all silent as they processed this.

Then, they exploded.

"Mr. Bushroot, what do you mean by that?!"

"Why are you picking her to be your heiress?!"

"Mr. Bushroot! Mr. Bsuhroot! When will you step down?!"

"What age will she be when she takes over?!"

"Is this the reason why you are fighting for custody so badly?!"

Questions of all types were being screamed out, yet Abaddon didn't answer a single one. He had already stated he wouldn't answer them if they shouted at him - they'll figure it out eventually. But, for now, Abaddon stands back and watches the chaos around him with dark satisfaction.

He has made the first move. Now it was time to see how the other players react and move.

**_-Duckburg, Scrooge's Mansion, Living Room-_ **

"....Heiress?" Regina muttered aloud with wide eyes.

Reginald gave a nervous chuckle. "I-I guess I should say c-congratulations?"

"I don't know if it is something to congratulate." The duckling turned her attention away from the chaos on TV, and instead looked up at her older brother sitting next to her with wide eyes. "Don't you want to be heir? Besides, there are other people that would be a better fit than me!"

Humming, Reginald smiled gently down at his sister. "Sister, I never wanted to be his heir. I never even thought about being it. Besides, I think he picked you because of how much alike the two of you are yet have enough differences to make it so that you make the companies and work even better than he did."

"I think you are giving me too much credit, Brother." Regina sighed, her mind whirling at the implications that her Grandfather has said. Heiress. Meaning, whatever her Grandfather owns, unless stated otherwise in his will, it will go to her. His jobs, his companies, his estates would be under her control when he dies or passes it on to her. Regina is not conceited enough to even think she knows what is going on in her Grandfather's head, but she knew he was always looking for a heir or heiress just in case.

_'Maybe he knew that Cypress and Lily would never allow me to be named heiress, so he didn't say anything. If that's the case, he would have been waiting until I was legal age or looking for someone else to train. But, with how young I am and with the parents mostly out of the way, it gives him time to train me up.'_  Regina's eyes narrowed in thought.  _'And I have a feeling that Grandfather deals in a lot of the darker aspects of life, business included. So, this must seem like the perfect opportunity for him. Never mind with naming me heiress, the Judge might think on that as well when deciding on who gets custody over me. But, that could be a double edge sword.'_

Her Grandfather was playing a game on a level that Regina could not even begin to see. This amazes her, yet worries her. But, she is his blood through and through, maybe it was time to start playing her own game if the need comes.

Sighing, Regina pushed the heavy thoughts for later. Now was the time to listen and watch the reactions of the public to try and see where they stand.

"How do you think the ones who brought you in will react to all this?" Regina lightly asked Reginald, not wanting to send the other into a panic attack.

"O-Oh, I d-don't know." Reginald lightly cupped his face, looking lightly worried. "I-I hope th-that Darkwing D-Duck doesn't find me! A-And the police-!"

"I wouldn't worry about the police, not with Grandfather working on it." Regina quickly assured. "Darkwing Duck and his sidekick is mostly stationed in St. Canard too."

"...Sidekick?" The plant-duck hybrid blinked in confusion at this, turning his head to look down at his sister. "I don't remember Darkwing having a sidekick....did that change since I've been m-mutated?"

_'Well, that's a difference.'_  Regina blankly thought to herself before replying. "No...I just thought that he had to have one with all the work he does. One duck can only do so much after all."

It never really hit her just how different  _everything_  could be. Not only in Duckburg, but in St. Canard.  _'Did...Did Launchpad never meet Darkwing?'_  Regina hummed to herself in thought.  _'Because he was always such a fan from what I recall. But, if he never once met DW, then it stands to show that he doesn't have a sidekick or it is someone different. This world is so different from the ones I remember that I don't think there is a point in relying on what I thought was certain.'_

Best to not think about it now, just let life come to her. Less headaches that way. At least one bright side to this, is that Regina knows for sure that what Abaddon is doing and saying is killing a few lives without even needing a weapon. She can only hope that Cypress and Lily are two of those people.

".....How much do you want to be that the parents are having heart attacks?"

"L-Little Sister....that's a sucker's b-b-bet."

**_-With Lily And Cypress In Their Home, St. Canard-_ **

"WHO DOES THAT NO GOOD BAST-" Lily exploded out, eyes on fire.

Cypress was blankly staring at the screen, eyes wide and mouth wide open.

Lily dove to the phone, screaming at the other person on the line.

"Who do you think you are to take my daughter from me?! No, I don't want to hear it! And to give her custody, even temperately, to someone else?! I'll take you all to court, you little shi-!"

_'Why.....why would you do this?!'_  Cypress mentally screamed and howled at his Grandfather's image on the TV in front of him.  _'Was everything else not enough?! Lily was right about you, you're nothing but trouble! You poisoned my little girl's mind against her own parents! Father-No, you already said I wasn't your son. Abaddon, then, why would you do this?! Tearing apart this family for your own selfish gain!?'_

Not once did the two think about their other child while they broke and screamed.

**_-Duckburg, Scrooge's Mansion, Scrooge's Office-_ **

"Yes, I will accept." Scrooge said on the phone, signing tiredly the last piece of paperwork that would make him temporary guardian of Regina, and stating that he was offering the two protection until he called it off. This way, they didn't have to stay cooped up in his mansion.

While he listened to the woman on the phone, his eyes were on the screen of the office TV in the corner of the room.

Abaddon stood there in the screen, looking as cool as a cucumber and like he didn't just ruin some lives, turned some heads, and broke more than on set of rose colored glasses.

_'That dangerous, old, daffy duck.'_  Scrooge could help but chuckle fondly at it though.  _'Who would have thought you would be such a family duck? You seem so cold and untouchable that I bet that no one even knew you had a family after your son ran and your wife passed on. It's a good look on you, being one.'_

Scrooge turned his attention back to the still talking woman on the other line and paperwork, face much more softer than what it had been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the Ducktales reboot, Darkwing is a TV show - an old one at that. Launchpad idolizes and grew up with the show, making him into who he is today - someone who plays it dangerous and listens to his gut. Before, I was going to have Launchpad be DW's sidekick still with him having a day job of being Scrooge's driver/pilot, yet, after watching the new episode, I changed my mind.
> 
> Here, DW is a hero, a real one. Yet, he is more famous than how he was in his original cartoon, with him having his own merchandise and such. I think that in a crime ridden city like St. Canard, they would popularize DW for doing more than what the cops are doing. So, here, he is still conceded and a bit of a narcissist, but he has the popularity to back it up. Makes it worse in some ways now that I am thinking about it. He has the popularity to back him up, making it worse when he failed and his overall narcissism.
> 
> And here, Launchpad has yet to meet Drake or DW because of Launchpad getting a job as Scrooge's driver and pilot. With the job, he never lived in his plane in St. Canard, and is more stationed in Duckburg than St. Canard, because he always has to be near in case Scrooge calls him in for a job.
> 
> Regina, of course, has no idea of this. She knows DW is more popular, and has seen his merchandise, but she thinks that Launchpad is DW's sidekick still. It's only when Reginald says he has never met Launchpad does she truly start to think on it all - her thoughts landing on the big bird anthro never meeting his hero. 
> 
> But, it is almost a butterfly effect, just not with Regina's direct or indirect influence. It's more along the lines of how Launchpad made a different choice, getting a different job maybe, that lead him to never officially meeting DW and getting the job as sidekick and/or living with him. DW instead has a different sidekick that is going to be revealed later on.
> 
> This just shows how different this whole life is to Regina, and shows her that even information she has gotten from her last life, might not mean much or is wrong.
> 
> Now, while Reginald did was wrong, if you read the later comics, the kinda newer ones, he didn't actually kill Dr. Gary and Dr. Larson. He turned them into plants, not killed them. Plants are living and alive, even if they are not up to human levels. It is found out in the comics that Dean Tightbill decided to use them in a villainous plan to make a ton of money for himself. So, while Reginald did hurt them viciously and most likely mentally killed them, he didn't physically kill them. So, murder and man/duck-slaughter charges are off the table. Not that the public knows this. Yet, the police never notice that the two bodies are gone until someone points it out - which was never done in the comics, yet will happen in this story later on.
> 
> And if people were to find out about Tightbill keeping the two doctors, it could spell trouble for him.
> 
> Tightbill is going to be a enemy for the Bushroot's here, or at least, Abaddon, Regina and Reginald. As they are trying to run his name through the mud and ruin whatever success he has had in the past years while Reginald was working under him in the University. He has also done some very shady things in the past that he doesn't want others to know about, let alone the shady things he is doing in the present.
> 
> Rhoda is feeling guilt over not doing more to help Reginald, thinking that because she did not do more to help before the crap hit the fan, that it is her fault. It's not fully her fault, it's a little bit of everyone's fault, even Reginald's. It's a mess that has spiraled way out of control. Even Reginald's past schools and the teachers are at fault for not noticing the abuse as they are trained to see such things. But I digress. She could have gone through the proper channels after seeing that Reginald was getting harassed, but then again, Tightbill might pay them off or made it look like she is lying. It's a grey area that is hard to navigate.
> 
> But, because of this guilt, as well as common sense to not want to work under such a person, she quits her job at the University. With such heavy guilt, when she looks at herself all she can see is Reginald asking for help. It's not healthy, but after being kidnapped by him and finding out why he did such things, it messed with her and not in a good way. There is a lot going on in her head, and it'll take a long time before she gets better and feels better. Unless, of course, she talks to Reginald - which could make things worse or better for the both of them. I don't know if I will do this, but I will say this now; I am not pairing up Rhoda and Reginald, even if they do somehow meet up and talk to one another once more.


End file.
